National Assembly (NA) got mysteriously united on passing a bill against corporal punishment in Islamabad but other provinces have so far remained ignorant of such legislation.
The ICT Prohibition of the Corporal Punishment Bill was tabled by Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) MNA Mehnaz Akbar Aziz and passed unanimously by the lower house of the parliament.
Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari presented an amendment which was also made part of the draft.
Mehnaz told that kicking, slapping, biting, hair pulling, inflicting physical pain by forcing students in stress positions and scalding would be deemed as physical assault.
While talking to News360, PML-N MNA Mehnaz Akbar Aziz said that it was a historic step to stop the assault on children. Previously, she added that no such precedence existed.
Mehnaz, who tabled the bill against corporal punishment in the premises of Islamabad, emphasized that the provinces should come forward and adopt similar measures.
She also greeted the members on the other side of the aisle in the house and said that everybody showed a big heart.
However, the scope of the legislation is only restricted only to the capital territory.
After achieving autonomy, the provinces are enabled to legislate on the issue that has forced children to drop from school.
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Experts are ascertained that corporal punishment inflicts mental damage to the children.
NA Speaker Asad Qaiser also termed the legislation a historic moment.
He opined that corporal punishment inflicted mental and physical damage to the children and forced them to drop out from educational institutions.
PML-N MNA Ahsan Iqbal said that several incidents have recently surfaced in which children were tortured.
Once enacted, the bill will help sensitize people against the assault on youth.
Ahsan Iqbal said it has been proved scientifically that corporal punishment inflicts mental damage to children.
