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A petition was filed in Sindh High Court
for providing shelter, education and basic
necessities to 32,500 street children in
Karachi.
Human Rights Commission for South Asia’s
representative Iqbal Kazmi submitted in the
petition that as many as 32,500 street children
in the city had been forced to become sex
workers, beggars or do menial jobs.
Referring to a survey conducted by the HRCSA,
the petitioner submitted that 17,000 children
have come to the city from different parts of
the country, which means 12 to 20 children
arriving a day.
The survey mentioned that 2,800 shelter-less
children were being forced to earn their living
as sex workers, while over 12,000 children were
involved in begging. Besides, over 11,530
children were working in different hotels; 1,685
at different workshops and garages; and 9,860
were working at different industrial units and
fish harbour.
The petitioner submitted that 7,840 children
were involved in crimes and their cases were
pending in different trial courts, while only 17
children were presently kept at Remand Home, set
up especially for the juveniles.
He said that that the government was responsible
to provide education and shelter to the street
children but unfortunately despite the presence
of several laws for child safety no step was
being taken for providing basic facilities to
street children.
He submitted that Social Welfare Department,
responsible for the welfare of the children, was
not performing its duties despite allocation of
Rs.119.450 million budget for the purpose.
Citing Sindh government, Home Department, DCO,
City District Government Karachi, IG Sindh as
respondents, the court was prayed to declare
that the provincial government happens to be the
guardian of all shelter-less children in the
province, including Karachi, and direct the
government to ensure provision of shelter,
education and basic facilities to them. He also
requested the court to direct the government to
set up hostels, training workshops and borstal
for the shelter-less and juvenile under trial
prisoners.
siblings to lay down their lives for defending the motherland.” |
