Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet approved death penalty for child abusers
Chitral Times Report
PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet has approved death penalty for child abusers after approval of Child Protection and Welfare Amendment Act 2020 by the provincial cabinet which will be implemented after approval by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly. The cabinet also approved 14-years sentence and five million penalty for the accused involved in child pornography and 10-years sentence for those involved in harassment and blackmailing through videos and filming.
After the approval of the Act, the criminals involved in child trafficking will be sentenced upto 25-years and fined Rs.5 million. The approval was given during a cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mahmood Khan, attended by cabinet members, Chief Secretary, Addl. Chief Secretary and all Administrative Secretaries. Briefing Media persons about the decisions of the Cabinet Provincial minister for higher Education Kamran Bangash and newly appointed special assistant to CM on information and Public Relations Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif further said that, the Act was approved following recommendations by a special committee for Child Protection which recommended amendments in the Child Protection 2010.
The amended act has suggestion for exemplary punishment for the child abusers which include death penalty, life term imprisonment and huge penalty and there would be no concession in the punishment granted under the Act. The police will be authorized audio video evidence and DNA tests during the investigation and presentation in the court of law as evidence. The convict’s names will be displayed on Child Protection Commission Website and entered in the special register, there would not be a complete ban on providing employment in public – private sectors on these convicts while they would also be not allowed to use public transport.
The owner or head of any organization providing jobs to the child abusers will be imprisoned for 5-years and fined Rs.10 million or both. The cabinet also approved 10-marla plots each for journalists/members of Peshawar Press Cub in News Peshawar Valley (Gandhara City) as well as establishment of Information Complex in News Peshawar Valley. The cabinet also approved Press, Newspapers, News Agencies and Book Registration Amendment Act-2021 following which the declaration and transfer of the newspaper will be authorized to any person, irrespective of blood relatives, however, the transfer will only be approved after 10-years of the initial declaration in the name of the owner.
The cabinet also approved National Parks Rules 2021 for maintenance of National Parks while it also approved supplementary grant for reconstruction of flood affected roads including 8-kilometer road from Fateh Pur to Miandam, Haljadul to Karlakian, Bara Alia road Haripur 12-kilometer while nine-kilometer Choi to Kathala road. The cabinet also approved a supplementary grant of Rs. 2.677 billion for supply of Sui Gas to the Gas Producing districts of the province. For his gallantry sacrifice, the cabinet approved renaming of Yar Hussain with Luqman Shaheed Chowk
(Tamgha-i-Basalat) for sacrificing his life for the nation. The provincial cabinet also renamed Tajazai Lakki Marwat Sports Complex as Adnan Marwat Shaheed Complex.
Lt. Adnan Marwat Shaheed has sacrificed his life in the line of duty fighting the terrorists. The cabinet also approved Management of Youth Hostels Rules 2021 which will governed establishment and maintenance of hostels and these will be on priority agenda of the government for the welfare of the youth. The provincial cabinet also approved transfer of administrative affairs of Provincial Ombudsman from Social Welfare Department to Law Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as most of the Ombudsman office affairs are related to legal issues of Women Welfare so it would be better taken care of by the Law Department.
The cabinet also approved Lilsaele-Wal-Mahroom Foundation Amendment Act-2021. While it also approved establishment of Public Service Commission Testing Center in Lower Dir. The cabinet approved appointment of 6-members for Provincial Service Academy Boards of Governors for three years – the members include former Ombudsman Wiqar Ayub, Muhammad Arifeen, Zafar Iqbal, Senator Mohsin Aziz while from public sector universities Vice Chancellor University Engineering and vice Chancellor Peshawar University. The cabinet also on the recommendation of Public Accounts Committee approved establishment of a committee for disposal of Police Department redundant weapons.
The cabinet also approved nomination of members for Academic Research Committee for recommendation of names of vacant positions of Vice Chancellors for 7-Public Sector Universities of the province. The same will be sent to the Chancellor for formal approval. In his concluding remarks, Chief Minister KP Mahmood Khan directed the quarters Concerned to expedite the process of public – Private partnership in order to ensure better service delivering in health sector.
Chief Minister also directed the authorities of health department to accelerate Sehat card plus initiative in merged districts to ensure RS: one million coverage to the people there. The Chief Minister also directed to speed up the process of regularization of EX-FATA domicile employees appointed in various government sectors and ensure its early passage from the provincial Assembly.
