National Commission on Rights of Child Bill, 2016 approved by NA
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ISLAMABAD: (APP) The National Assembly Wednesday passed the National Commission on the Rights of the Child Bill, 2016 aimed at setting up an independent commission to monitor, protect and promote the rights of the child.
Minister for Human Rights, Kamran Michael piloted the bill to provide for constitution of a National Commission on the Rights of Child [The National Commission on the Rights of the Child Bill, 2016] in the House.
However, the bill was strongly opposed by all opposition parties including PPP, PTI, ANP, MQM and JI.
Those who opposed the bill included Yousaf Talpur, Shazia Marri, Dr. Shireen Mazari, Ghulam Ahmad Baliour, Sheikh Salahuddin, Jamshid Dasti, Dr Fehmida Mirza, Abdul Wasim, S A Iqbal and Sahibzada Tariqullah.
They were of the views that age limit should not be reduced from 16 year. They were of the views that they have genuine reservation over the bill and it should be sent to the committee for review.
They said in past mostly bills were passed with consensus and it should be referred back to the committee. The bill would not address the real issue rather it would create more problems, they claimed.
Minister for Law and Justice Zahid Hamid clarified that Syed Naveed Qamar had written a dissent note with another bill and the House had already been passed age of criminal responsibility bill.
He said Pakistan ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in 1990 and its Optional Protocol on Sale of Children etc, in 2011.
The bill has been prepared to fulfill our obligation under different International Conventions in general and UNCRC in particular.
Kamran Michael a detailed deliberation was carried out in the committee for about one year.
He said earlier a commission was set up under SRO and it was also a part of National Action Plan.
The minister said the government would incorporate positive suggestions of the opposition.
Meanwhile, the House also passed the Illegal Dispossession (Amendment) Bill, 2016).
The bill was moved by Minister of State for Interior Baligh ur Rehman in the House.
