LAHORE – Representatives of a large number of civil society organisations on Wednesday staged a massive protest demonstration at Liberty Roundabout against corporal punishment, which is still prevalent in schools, both public and private
The protesters, under the banner of Child Rights Movement (CRM) and Pakistan Coalition for Education, chanted slogans against corporal punishment practices in schools and demanded of the government to strictly implement the Corporal Punishment Prohibition Law.
The protesters, led by Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi, Programme Director Dr Baela Raza Jamil, were holding banners and placards bearing inscriptions such as “Education, not torture, needed”, “Maar nahin Piyar”, “Corporal punishment shatters confidence of a child”, “Stop physical and psychological torture on children at home and school”, etc.
The protest walk stood as a symbol of civil society’s condemnation of the recent incidents of physical and psychological harassment of children that forced them to commit suicide. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Jamil said that it was high time that we mobilised the youth, and imparted awareness to people to promote polite behaviour with children in home and school.