Tag: children

  • PUBG addict found after stealing Rs65,000 from home

    PUBG addict found after stealing Rs65,000 from home

    Majid Rehman, a 13-year-old boy addicted to playing the game PUBG, was found on Thursday after he went missing while purchasing groceries.

    His father, Reham Mehmood, reported his son’s disappearance, stating that the boy left home with Rs65,000 rupees for monthly groceries but never returned.

    Police registered a kidnapping case and began to search for him.

    Rehman was found by a National Highways and Motorways Police (NH&MP) team in a vehicle during an inspection.

    Apart from other items, the police found a PUBG character’s costume.

    As Majid was questioned, he revealed that when he left home, he decided to hang out with his friends and spent the grocery money buying things that were of interest to him. He also talked about his liking for PUBG.

    According to DSP Changezi, parents’ neglect towards their children results in such incidents.

    PUBG is a widely played shooter game. However, it has been a part of several unfortunate or absurd incidents in Pakistan as well as around the world.

    PUBG addicts, mainly children, have inflicted self-harm or harmed others. Some tend to run away from home. In extreme cases, players have committed suicide or shot people.

    Boys from Nawan Kot and Kahna killed their family members in 2021 and 2022, respectively, under the the influence of the violent nature of the game. One boy even chased a member into the street while clad in the game’s character attire.

    Similarly, children have committed suicide after losing the game or getting bullied for it.

    Following several cases, the Lahore Police asked the higher authorities to ban the game.

    The Child Protection and Welfare Bureau (CPWB) created the “Mohafiz” app through which one can search and share information of cases of underprivileged, homeless children who run away from their homes in Punjab.

    Through the app, government institutions can also be reached in case of an emergency and citizens can report any disappearance or accidents involving children.

    According to Express Tribune, hundreds of children are present in various centres of Punjab including the CPWB in Lahore.

  • CM orders treatment for baby born with heart outside chest

    CM orders treatment for baby born with heart outside chest

    A baby boy born at the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital, Muzaffargarh had the rare congenital defect of having his heart outside of the chest.

    According to Pakistan Observer, surgeons confirmed that the baby’s heart was located outside the chest cavity, and had a congenital heart defect with a hole.

    24 News has confirmed that on the instructions of Punjab’s Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, the baby, named Abdulllah, will be shifted to Lahore’s Children’s Hospital on Tuesday for treatment.

    Before being taken to Lahore for further treatment, the child was admitted to Children’s Hospital, Multan.

    The chief minister also gave instructions for special arrangements to be made for the child’s treatment.

    The baby’s congenital defect is referred to as Ectopia Cardis, an extremely rare condition in which the heart develops outside of the chest wall.

    The condition, often accompanied by other birth defects such as cleft palate or a curved spine, can be fatal if left untreated.

  • Average 12 children sexually abused daily, new report says

    Average 12 children sexually abused daily, new report says

    Sahil, a non-profit organization working for the rights of children in Pakistan, has published a new report, “Six Months Cruel Numbers 2023”, revealing cases of sexual violence reported in the first half of 2023.

    A total of 2,227 children have been subjected to sexual violence from January to June this year alone. This means that on an average, 12 kids have suffered sexual violence every day in these months.

    The source for Sahil’s data are media reports; the actual number of cases might be higher considering all cases are not documented.
    1,207 of the cases are of girls — more than half, 54 percent. While 1,020 of the cases are of boys. In the same period in 2022, the number of girls encountering abuse was the same as 2023, while cases involving boys have risen.

    Age bracket:

    The most vulnerable to abuse are in the age group of 6-15 years, in which more boys than girls were victimised. This age bracket makes up 47 percent of the total cases recorded — 593 boys and 457 girls.

    Types of cases:

    Cases of abduction are still the most prevalent with 44 per cent, 13 per cent cases of sodomy, 10 per cent of cases of rape and nine per cent of cases of missing children were reported.

    53 cases of pornography have also been reported that are being tracked by the Federal Investigation Agency on the dark web. As per the report, 72 per cent of victims were boys and 28 per cent of victims were girls

    Abusers:

    2,531 abusers have been involved in child abuse in the first six months of 2023. In most cases, they were acquainted or related to the victims or their families.

    The abusers were acquaintances in 912 cases, strangers in 498 cases, and both in 215 cases.

    Location:

    According to the report, between January and June, the crime was committed at the “abuser’s place because the abusers trap innocent children and take them to their places”.

    However, in most cases, the place of abuse remained unknown with 31 per cent committed in the streets, 11 per cent at victims’ place, four per cent in fields, and two percent at places of worship.

    45 per cent cases were reported from rural areas and 55 per cent from urban areas.

    As per provincial breakdown, the highest number of cases, 74 per cent, were reported from Punjab, followed by 14 per cent from Sindh, seven per cent from Islamabad, three per cent from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and two per cent from Balochistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan.

    88 per cent of all the cases were registered with police while 25 cases were either not filed or police refused to register them.

    Violence against children:

    Sahil also reveal that a total number of 963 cases of accident and/or violence were allegedly reported against the children among who 760 died: 268 drowned, 148 murdered, 144 accidents and 61 children committed suicide.

    Highest number reported were from Sindh with 483 cases followed by Punjab in second place with 233 cases.

  • TW: UK police launch hunt for Pakistani father after daughter found dead in Surrey home

    TW: UK police launch hunt for Pakistani father after daughter found dead in Surrey home

    Sara Sharif, a 10-year-old girl, has been found dead in her home in Surrey with multiple injuries inflicted over her body. Her father, along with the child’s step mother and their five children, have seemingly left for Pakistan.

    According to the Surrey police, Urfan Sharif and his partner Beinash Batool, along with five children, left for Pakistan on Wednesday 9 August. The next day, Sara’s body was discovered in their home in Woking. Sharif made a call to the police station, after which officials arrived to discover the dead body.

    Sara’s body has multiple injuries, inflicted over a period of time, police have said.

    In a press release to the media, Detective Mark Chapman said the Surrey Police was working with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Interpol, National Crime Agency, Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office to ensure that the culprits are caught and brought to swift action.

    “Firstly, on behalf of Surrey Police, I would like to express my heartfelt condolences following Sara’s tragic death,” Chapman said. “Our thoughts are with her mother at this difficult time. We also fully appreciate the impact this devastating incident will have had within the local community,” he stated.

    “While the postmortem has not provided us with an established cause of death at this time, the fact that we now know that Sara had suffered multiple and extensive injuries over a sustained and extended period has significantly changed the nature of our investigation, and we have widened the timescale of the focus of our inquiry.

    “As a result, we are trying to piece together a picture of Sara’s lifestyle but we cannot do this without the public’s help. That is why we are appealing for anyone who knew Sara, had any form of contact with her, or has any other information about her, no matter how insignificant it might seem, to come forward as soon as possible.”

  • Ban against corporal punishment enforced in Islamabad

    On Thursday, the federal government of Pakistan introduced rules to enforce the ‘Prohibition of Corporal Punishment Act, 2021’ throughout the capital city and territories, banning corporal punishment in public and private schools.

    According to Dawn, the law was passed three years ago, however the rules were updated a couple of months ago and the act was finally launched on Thursday.

    According to the act, teachers who are found guilty of inflicting violence on students will be punished through major penalities like compulsory retirement, dismissal from service or demotion to a lower post. Minor penalties include withholding promotion for a specific period or increment or financial advancement in accordance with the rules or orders pertaining to the service or post.

    The law states:

    “The child has the right to be shown respect for his personality and individuality and shall not be made subject to corporal punishment or any other humiliating or degrading treatment.”

    Speaking at the launch at the Islamabad Model College for Girls in F-10/2, the Minister of Federal Education Rana Tanveer Hussain praised the act as a shift towards fostering a culture of non-violence and empowering the rights of children:

    “Let us work together to implement these rules effectively and create an environment where every child feels safe and nurtured.”

    Convener of the Parliamentary Caucus on Child Rights and Parliamentary Secretary Law and Justice, Mehnaz Akber Aziz, who was also present at the ceremony, discussed the significance of the rules towards improving the lives of children:

    “The launch of the Prohibition of Corporal Punishment Rules is a testament to our commitment to ensuring children’s well-being and upholding their rights. These rules will provide clear guidelines and enforce strict measures to eradicate corporal punishment from educational institutions and child-related settings throughout Islamabad. I hope this will also incentivise the currently 2.4 million out-of-school children to head to schools.”

    United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Representative Abdullah A. Fadil spoke on why corporal punishment must be outlawed in Pakistan:

    “Corporal punishment can inflict immediate pain and suffering, and sadly may also cause irrevocable damage that can last a lifetime. We need to act now and put all our weight behind this act so that all children in Pakistan are able to learn and grow in a safe environment and are protected in a society which respects and upholds their rights and dignity.”

  • Stampede for ration kills 11 in Karachi including three children

    Stampede for ration kills 11 in Karachi including three children

    A stampede at a private charity food ration distribution site in Karachi’s SITE industrial area on Friday left at least 11 people dead, including three children.

    Eyewitnesses and rescue workers reported that several people fell into a nullah at the location during the stampede. Reports suggest that some of the victims were electrocuted as an electricity power-line had fallen into the nullah.

    Several people, including women and children, also fell unconscious during the incident.

    The Abbasi Shaheed Hospital received nine bodies and six injured victims, while the Civil Hospital received two dead bodies, bringing the death toll to 11.

    The incident is one of several recent deadly stampedes at free food and flour distribution sites across the country as the population struggles with rising inflation.

    The government launched the flour distribution programme to reach millions of families in need during the holy month of Ramzan that began last week.

    Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has ordered an inquiry into the incident and expressed sorrow over the loss of lives.

    Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Khurram Sher Zaman demanded a transparent inquiry and action against those responsible for the incident, blaming the government for the people’s carelessness.

  • Teach boys to be better: here are some hot takes Twitter has on desi culture

    Everyone can agree that desi culture may have the finest food or the grandest weddings, but will also have the biggest closet full of family secrets and important discussions we need to talk about.

    It’s incredibly important that adults and children in the family learn to keep their communication open with each other and discuss things that we often prevent opening up about.

    So when a Twitter user asked their followers tat if given an opportunity, what are the things they wished desi culture would change?

    And it turns out, there are a lot of them. We’re happy to share them with our followers.

    A little louder for the people in the back.

    If you’re grumbling about disrespectful children, maybe some adults should reflect if it is them who are being disrespectful.

    We completely agree. Getting divorced is not a shameful thing.

    https://twitter.com/yixewoah/status/1641306625972527106?s=20

    We should encourage more people to be respectful at funerals and stop treating it like a meet-and-greet moment

    YOUR CHILDREN ARE NOT YOUR PROPERTY!

    Choose yourself over toxic relationships

  • ‘Hum 2 Humaray 100’ dedicated an episode to teaching children about consent

    At a time when television is littered with misogyny and misrepresentation of women and their issues, it is heart warming to witness shows like ‘Hum 2 Hamaray 100’ take the lead in creating awareness about social issues.
    The show recently broadcast a poignant scene where they recognized the rights and responsilibities of children in Pakistan.
    A grown adult sits down with children in a room and teaches them about the good touch/ bad touch concept. She explains to the children that if any adult, aside from their parents touches them without their consent and makes them feel uncomfortable, then they must immediately tell their parents.
    The writer, Syed Zain Raza, shared the clip on his Instagram account, and in the caption he wrote that because of a rise in rape and sexual assualt cases in Pakistan, he felt it was necessary to teach children about body autonomy and learning to say ‘no’.

    “GOOD TOUCH / BAD TOUCH

    In this episode of Hum 2 Humaray 100 we tried to talk about an extremely important topic that is more prevalent than ever, but we rarely see conversations around it. Our children are unsafe in parks, schools, neighbourhoods, transit, and sometimes even their homes. This is why they need to know about good touch and bad touch. They need to know when they are in danger.

    If we don’t have these conversations with them in a positive way, then someone else will have them in a negative way. Children should be taught about bodily autonomy and what to do if they feel threatened, scared, and uncomfortable around an adult. They need to be told that they will not get in trouble for telling their parents and that it is never their fault.

    I was really glad that the channel allowed us to talk about this sensitive topic without any censoring and/or dictations. And most importantly, thank you to my director @angelinemalikofficial who allowed me to go ahead and write about all these topics with her full support! It is a boon to have a progressive and woke director in a time like this.”

    In the comments section, social media users applauded the show runners for addressing a sensitive topic in a gentle and uncensored manner, which would help more parents and children watching this show learn how to communicate with each other regarding matters of bodily autonomy.

    Activist and makeup artist Leena Ghani praised the writer for bringing such an important topic to mainstream channels and dealing with it in a sensitive way.

    “Such an important conversation about consent and done with so much sensitivity and care. Well done Zain. This is the kind of content and awareness we need,” she wrote.

    Another user recalled the impact this scene had on her mother, that she went on to give the same guidance about consent to her neices.
    “Mother was watching this scene on TV and it impacted her so much that right after that when nieces came she needed to explain this to them. Quite powerful ”

  • Indonesia bans all syrup, liquid medication after death of nearly 100 children

    Indonesia bans all syrup, liquid medication after death of nearly 100 children

    Indonesia has suspended sales of all syrup and liquid medication in the country after the death of nearly 100 children in the region.

    According to the media reports, a few syrup medicine was found to contain ingredients linked to Acute Kidney Injuries (AKI), which have killed a total of 99 young children this year.

    The country’s authorities have so far not disclosed the brands or types of syrup medicines suspected to have caused the illnesses. For now, the government has temporarily banned the sale and prescription of all syrup and liquid medicines.

    Indonesian health officials said they had reported around 200 cases of AKI in children, most of who were aged under five

    “Some syrups that were used by AKI child patients under five were proven to contain ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol that was not supposed to be there, or is supposed to be in very little amount,” said Indonesia’s Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin.

    Earlier this month, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a global alert over four cough syrups, allegedly manufactured in India, that were linked to the deaths of almost 70 children in The Gambia.

  • Ex-policeman killed children at a nursery in Thailand

    Ex-policeman killed children at a nursery in Thailand

    An ex-policeman identified as Panya Kamrab has killed at least 37 people, most of them children, in a gun and knife attack at a childcare centre in north-east Thailand.

    Trigger warning

    At least 22 children were among the dead in the mass killing. Some victims, aged as young as two, were attacked as they slept.

    Police say that the attacker then killed himself, his wife and his son after the horrific incident. According to Thai police, the attacker mostly stabbed his victims before fleeing the scene.

    “The shooter came in around lunchtime and shot four or five officials at the childcare centre first,” a local official told Reuters.

    “After inspecting the crime scene, we found that the perpetrator tried to break in and he mainly used a knife to commit the crime by killing a number of small children,” said Police Chief.

    “Then he got out and started killing anyone he met along the way with a gun or the knife until he got home. We surrounded the house and then found that he committed suicide in his home.”

    The country’s Prime Minister (PM) Prayut Chan-o-cha described the incident as “a shocking event”.

    The attacker was a police lieutenant colonel before he was dismissed last year for drug use.