PRESS RELEASE 

• ACADEMIES UNDER CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, SCHOOLS & RELIGIOUS FORUMS CAN PLAY VIBRANT ROLE IN RAISING AWARENESS ON CYBER CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN.               
• OMBUDSMAN INSTITUTION DEVELOPED A ROAD MAP FOR STRENGTHENING LAWS AND MECHANISM FOR EFFECTIVE ENFORCEMENT TO CONTROL CYBER CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN.
• SUSTAINABLE HOLISTIC APPROACH IS NEEDED FOR THE PREVENTION & CONTROL OF CYBER CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN.    

                Syed Tahir Shahbaz, the Federal Ombudsman

The Federal Ombudsman Syed Tahir Shahbaz has said that academies working under criminal justice system, Schools and religious forums can play a vibrant role in raising awareness on Cyber Crimes against children.  He said that the institution of Federal Ombudsman has developed a road map for strengthening law and mechanism for effective enforcement to control cyber crimes against children.  He was addressing a First Provincial Consultative Meeting on raising awareness on Prevention and Control of Cyber Crimes against Children which was held at Regional Office Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat (WMS) Lahore.  He said that sustainable holistic approach was needed for the prevention & control of cyber crimes against children because it has emerged as one of the most serious global issue.  Therefore, being a critical issue it requires a comprehensive mechanism for effective enforcement and raising awareness among masses. The meeting was attended by a large number of participants from Parliamentarians, Provincial Ombudsman Mr. Azam Suleman Khan, Justice Sector, Police and Judicial Academies from Punjab, Home & Prosecution departments Punjab, Secretaries Auqaf and Education Punjab, DG Child Protection Bureau Punjab  and prominent NGOs working on children rights. The Provincial Ombudsman Punjab Mr. Azam Suleman Khan said that constant Parents-Techers meetings can play a vital role in curbing such issue against children

Mr. Ejaz Ahmed Qureshi, Senior Advisor and National Commissioner for Children(NCC) WMS briefed the participants on the achievements in the matter and road map on raising awareness on the issue.  He said that in a new proposed amendment, Police would have jurisdiction to take cognizance of offences of cyber crimes against children and will refer the matter to FIA for further investigation.  He said that sexual abuse and exploitation of children was a serious issue in the contemporary world due to ever increasing use of social and digital media skills.  He said that mafia target the vulnerable segments of population especially children.  He said that as per expert opinions 95% contents constituted re-sharing.  He said that Judicial & Police Academies and mosques can play an important role in creating awareness on cyber crimes against children.  He said that training modules have been devised for Police and Judicial Academies so that decision making authorities could be professionally sensitized in the matter.  He said that Radio Pakistan has devised public service messages in 22 languages and airing it around the country.  Syed Viqar un Nisa Hashmi, Convener of the Sub-committee on Raising Awareness informed that seminars awareness and training sessions on cyber crimes against children would be delivered in all Police and Judicial academies. She also highlighted the main contents of the National Plan of Action for Awareness Raising on Cyber Crimes against Children.

(M. Javed Chaudhary)

Director Media