'Historic', Shehzad Roy rejoices at anti-corporal punishment bill passage

ISLAMABAD: Singer and rights activist Shehzad Roy rejoiced at the passage Tuesday of a ‘historic’ anti-corporal punishment bill from the national assembly which prohibits educational institutions and parents from meting out any sort of corporal punishment to kids, ARY News reported.

He said in the backdrop of today’s bill passage that a petition was filed to Islamabad High Court back in 2019 wherein Justice Athar Minallah noted that legislation on the matter is awaited.

Today the legislation has been carried out and now there will be no physical violence on the kids, Shehzad Roy celebrated the development today. He commended the role of the incumbent government as federal human rights minister Shireen Mazari backed the bill despite it being tabled by the opposition parties.

Those who now assault children will be detained and will not be left scot-free, he said, adding that on his request the IHC scrapped section 89 from Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) which enabled parents, guardians, and teachers to administer physical punishment to children.

Earlier those who assaulted children in the name of their education and nurturing, were released for their sincerity of intention.

READ: NA passes bill against corporal punishment of children in schools

A bill to prohibit #CorporalPunishment has been passed by #NA that prohibits all kinds of corporal punishment against children in all educational institutions. Bill was presented by @MehnazAkberAziz, Chairperson Child Rights Special Committee at SDGs Parliamentary Taskforce pic.twitter.com/L5OrMtqoLo

— National Assembly of Pakistan🇵🇰 (@NAofPakistan) February 23, 2021

Earlier today, the National Assembly passed a bill against corporal punishment of children in all educational institutions.

The bill was moved by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MNA Mehnaz Akbar Aziz. The bill was passed with a majority of votes as no one from the treasury benches opposed the bill.

The bill prohibits all kinds of corporal punishment against children in all educational institutions of Islamabad.