The HNPIP in collaboration with Global Vision Organisation (GVO) and UNICEF Pakistan organised the seminar on ‘Welfare of Street Children - Role of Media and Civil Society’ here on Friday. Former federal minister SM Zafar, Jamaat-e-Islami leader Dr Fareed Paracha, Punjab University Professor Dr Samar Fatima and UNICEF Officer Afshan Tehseen were the main speakers.
HNPIP Director Absar Abdul Ali introduced the topic and speakers.
Since the provinces had been given autonomy under the 18th Amendment, the immediate concern of the Punjab government was required on the matter and ‘Punjab Children Act was the need of the hour, speakers urged unanimously. They held that street children needed protection from harassment, torture and degrading treatment and access to healthcare and education. They expressed their concern that protection of street children from violence was a matter of urgency as the scale and impact of violence against children was rising day by day.
SM Zafar appreciated the efforts of HNPIP, GVO and UNICEF Pakistan for organising the event on the issue and urged the media to highlight the grievances of the homeless children. Speaking in the context of Islamic regulations regarding adoption of a child, the renowned lawyer held that Ijtihad (undertaking effort and endeavour in performing some task in the light of Islamic principles) was needed on the matter. He said that religious parties were the hurdles in making the law of adoption in the country.
However at the point, Samar Fatima, PhD in Islamic Studies said there was no hurdle in Islam to make the law of adoption. She highlighted that the divine religion gave proper rights to every person of the society.
Dr Fareed said that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) once said that a person who cares for an orphaned child would be in paradise with Him, and motioned to show that they would be as close as two fingers of a single hand. “An orphan himself, Muhammad paid special attention to the care of children. He himself adopted a former slave and raised him with the same care as if he were his own son,” Paracha added. The former MNA asked the religious scholars to speak in their sermons about the human rights. He regretted that some ulema instead of doing efforts to bring harmony in the society were trying to spread sectarianism. Ms Afshan appreciated the efforts of the media in highlighting the issues which the deprived segments of society had been facing since years.
