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LAHORE, Dec 29 (APP):Child Protection and Welfare Bureau (CPWB) Chairperson and MPA Sarah Ahmad on Monday visited the Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) in Lahore to review ongoing initiatives aimed at strengthening child protection and online safety mechanisms across the province.
PSCA Chief Executive Officer Mustansar Feroze received the Chairperson on her arrival. Managing Director PSCA Ahsan Younas gave a detailed briefing on the working of various sections, including the Virtual Child Safety Centre and the Virtual Women Police Station, highlighting their role in addressing cases of abuse, harassment, and missing children through technology-based interventions.
During the visit, Sarah Ahmad toured different sections of the Safe City Authority and the Virtual Child Safety Centre to observe operational procedures. She appreciated the establishment of the Virtual Child Safety Centre by Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, terming it a commendable step towards ensuring the protection and welfare of children, particularly in the digital space.
The chairperson announced that amendments would be introduced to the Punjab Destitute and Neglected Children (PDNC) Act to further strengthen online child safety and enhance legal protection against exploitation and harassment. She added that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) would be signed between the Child Protection Bureau and the Punjab Safe Cities Authority to promote closer coordination and information sharing.
Chairperson Sarah Ahmad said a centralised database would be established jointly by the Child Protection Bureau and the Virtual Child Safety Centre to assist in tracing missing children and reuniting them with their families. She added that children who are victims of abuse and exploitation and are referred by Safe City would be provided online psychological counselling by qualified child psychologists.
Highlighting achievements, she said that joint efforts of the Child Protection Bureau and the Virtual Child Safety Centre have already resulted in thousands of missing and runaway children being reunited with their families. She further noted that information related to child-focused calls received at the Virtual Child Safety Centre would be shared with the Child Protection Bureau to ensure timely intervention.
She also announced that an integrated system would be developed linking Child Helpline 1121 with Police Emergency 15 to improve response time and coordination in child protection cases. Sarah Ahmad said that due to joint initiatives of the Child Protection Bureau and the Virtual Child Safety Centre, incidents of child harassment and exploitation have significantly declined. She expressed her resolve to further strengthening institutional collaboration and leveraging technology to safeguard children across Punjab.