Sindh CM Says Effective Child Rights Laws Exist, Implementation Remains a Challenge

Karachi – Sindh Chief Minister **Syed Murad Ali Shah** has stated that while the Sindh government has enacted strong laws to protect children’s rights, challenges remain in their effective implementation.

Speaking at an event on **International Children’s Day** in Karachi, he highlighted the provincial government’s ongoing efforts against **child labor and abuse**. He noted that in a recent meeting, participants emphasized the need for stricter laws, acknowledging that **poverty remains the biggest obstacle**.

The Chief Minister said that to improve the quality of education in government schools, new teachers are being recruited through competitive examinations. “Government teachers are often seen on streets instead of classrooms. Their primary responsibility is to educate children,” he added.

Murad Ali Shah stressed that cases of **child abuse** are taken very seriously, and measures are being implemented to reduce such incidents. He emphasized that “until strict punishments are enforced, incidents of child abuse will not decrease.”

He further noted that Sindh is the **only province providing training to children on child abuse prevention**, including education on **good touch and bad touch**, despite facing criticism for these initiatives. He expressed gratitude to the **Social Welfare Department** for organizing the event.

Regarding **child marriages**, the Chief Minister said that Sindh has passed legislation to prevent underage marriages. “We have faced instances where Sindh’s children travel to Punjab for marriage. The law in Sindh aims to address this,” he said.

He also highlighted that many children are forced into labor at a young age instead of attending school, with poverty being a key factor. The Sindh government is striving to **reduce the number of out-of-school children to zero**.