LAHORE: Taking cognizance of rising incidents of child abuse in recent months, the Punjab home department has written a letter to the school education department (SED) urging it to educate schoolchildren about personal safety.

In a letter addressed to the SED secretary, the home department has requested that the department might take measures to raise awareness about “Good Touch and Bad Touch” by equipping them with the knowledge to recognise and report inappropriate behaviour.

The home department wrote that rising incidents of child abuse in recent months underscored the urgent need for a proactive and comprehensive awareness to safeguard children.

The home department proposed that a module might be included in the syllabus regarding “good touch bad touch” to educate and protect children from abuse and exploitation.

The home department through Child Protection & Welfare Bureau (CP&WB) was already working on awareness campaign on “good touch bad touch” and expressed that the details in this regard would be shared with the school education department for outreach and children engagement.

CONSUL GENERAL: US Consul General in Lahore Kristin K. Hawkins called on Punjab Home Secretary Noorul Amin Mengal and discussed the law and order situation in the province.

Congratulating the home secretary for the holding of Champions Trophy matches in a peaceful and conducive environment, Ms Hawkins said she felt secured in Punjab due to the active monitoring by the law-enforcement agencies in the province.

Explaining the strict measures taken to ensure law and order in the province, Mr Mengal stated that the government was using technology to ensure safety across the province, while showing zero tolerance against terrorists.

He also explained that the home department was able to update the 150-year-old laws in line with the modern day requirements.

Mr Mengal said the government had provided the latest equipment to the law-enforcement agencies and uploaded criminals’ data online. He said the government was also in the process of establishing the Crime Control Department and Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority (PERA). He also said that the government was establishing 14 modern check posts for inter-provincial border security. He said the department had also worked a lot in jail reforms for the rehabilitation of inmates.

Ms Hawkins expressed her deep grief over the terrorists’ attack on Jaffar Express in Quetta. The home secretary said the Punjab government was in touch with the Balochistan government and ensured that the terrorists would be apprehended and brought to book.

Punjab Special Home Secretary Fazalur Rehman, Additional Secretary (Prison) Asim Raza and Additional Secretary (internal security) Ehsan Jamali were also present in the meeting.

Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2025