KP cabinet okays death penalty for child abuser

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet on Tuesday approved the capital punishment for child abusers, which would be implemented after approval by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly.

Chaired by Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, the cabinet also approved 14 years sentence and Rs5 million fine 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 would be sentenced to up to 25 years in jail, besides a fine of Rs5 million.

Briefing the media persons about the decisions of the cabinet, provincial Minister for Higher Education Kamran Bangash and newly-appointed Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Information and Public Relations Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif 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 would be authorised to produce audio and video evidence and DNA tests during the investigation and presentation in the court of law as evidence. The convict’s names would be displayed on the Child Protection Commission website and entered in the special register, there would 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 organisation providing jobs to the child abusers would be imprisoned for 5 years in addition to a fine of Rs10 million or both.

The cabinet also approved 10-marla plots each for journalists/members of Peshawar Press Cub in the New Peshawar Valley (Gandhara City) as well as establishment of an Information Complex in New 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 would be authorised 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 Fatehpur to Miandam, Haljadul to Karlakian, Bara Alia road Haripur 12-kilometer and nine-kilometer Choi to Kathala road.

The cabinet also approved a supplementary grant of Rs2.677 billion for supply of Sui gas to the Gas Producing districts of the province.

For his gallantry sacrifice, the cabinet approved renaming Yar Hussain with Luqman Shaheed Chowk (Tamgha-i-Basalat) for sacrificing his life for the nation.

The provincial cabinet also renamed Lakki Marwat Sports Complex Tajazai 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 govern the establishment and maintenance of hostels and these will be on the 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 the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Lissaail-e-Wal Mahroom Foundation (Amendment) Act,-2021. While it also approved the establishment of the Public Service Commission Testing Centre in Lower Dir.

The cabinet also 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 and from public sector universities vice chancellors of University of Engineering and Peshawar University.

The cabinet also on the recommendation of the Public Accounts Committee approved establishment of a committee for disposal of Police Department redundant weapons.

The cabinet also approved the nomination of members for Academic Research Committee for recommendation of names of vacant positions of vice chancellors for seven public sector universities of the province. The same will be sent to the chancellor for formal approval.

In his concluding remarks, Chief Minister Mahmood Khan directed the quarters concerned to expedite the process of public-private partnership in order to ensure better service delivery in the health sector.

The chief minister also directed the authorities of the health department to accelerate Sehat Card-Plus initiative in merged districts to ensure Rs1 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