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Summary: SPARC and Child Rights Committee Nowshera
organised a one-day consultation on the
Juvenile Justice System Ordinance 2000 and
the role of the police in Police Lines Nowshera.
SHOs, Moharers and Assistant Moharers from
all police stations of the District along with DSP
and District Police Officer Nowshera Dr
Mazharul Haq participated in the consultation.
The Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC) and Child
Rights Committee Nowshera organised a one-day consultation on the
Juvenile Justice System Ordinance 2000 and the role of the police in Police
Lines Nowshera. SHOs, Moharers and Assistant Moharers from all police
stations of the District along with DSP and District Police Officer Nowshera
Dr Mazharul Haq participated in the consultation.
SPARC’s Deputy National Coordinator Arshad Mahmood briefed the police
officials about the child rights situation and juvenile justice system in the
country. He said that there was no uniform Juvenile Justice System on
federal level before the introduction of JJSO 2000. He said that the police
has a very important role under JJSO and that they have to inform
guardians or parents of the child soon after his/her arrest. It is also the
police’s duty to inform the probation officer, so that he/she can prepare a
Social Investigation Report (SIR) and present it in to the court.
It was revealed during the meeting that none of the police staff from the
police stations have ever contacted any Probation Officer since Probation
Officers have never visited them. One of the SHOs’ was of the opinion that
registering proper age in the FIR is always a tricky question as children are
usually not aware of their actual age and police officers have to register
age on their personal judgment. On a question from Inspector Khalid
Nasim Mr. Mahmood informed the participants that protecting the privacy of
a child is very important and the Probation Officer’s report on the child’s
character and background should be treated as confidential. To another
question Mr. Mahmood said that SPARC is lobbying for the appointment of
at least one Probation Officer in every district and Female Probation
Officers in the former divisional headquarters.
Dr. Mazharul Haq District Police Officer Nowshera thanked SPARC and CRC
Nowshera for organizing such and important consultation. We were able to
get new information about child rights and juvenile justice. Actually we
have complainant led policing here and that is why police is usually under
pressure from the complainants to deal with child accused in a routine
manner said the DPO. We do present separate challans in the court if a
juvenile is co-accused in a case but it is misinterpreted by the complainant
and say that police is not taking interest in the case. There is a need of
widespread awareness in the society about the rights of the child and
juvenile justice. Police force would work according to the guidelines
provided in this law and would keep in mind the best interest of the child
who is our future said Dr. Haq DPO Nowshera.
Arshad Mahmood
Deputy National Coordinator