By Amir Murtaza

The recent arrest of a fruit vendor in Karachi’s Qayyumabad area, for sexually abusing several children has shocked the metropolitan. It has also exposed serious flaws Pakistan’s child protection system. According to police, the suspect lured children into his shop and home since 2019, while secretly recording horrific assaults on minors. Authorities have recovered a mobile phone and USB drives containing hundreds of videos, and investigators fear the number of victims may exceed.

What is most disturbing is not only the scale of abuse but also the fact that it remained hidden for years in one of Karachi’s densely populated neighborhoods. This points to the absence of effective gatekeeping mechanisms within communities, where abusers can exploit children without detection. In this case, there was no early intervention, no suspicion raised, and no systems in place to monitor or respond until explicit material was accidentally discovered.

The horrifying case also reflects a troubling lack of awareness about the child-abuse risks, warning signs, and reporting channels among residents. In many communities, families believe their neighborhoods are safe and often ignore the danger posed by sexual predators hiding behind familiar and trusted roles like vendors, shopkeepers, or drivers. Silence, stigma, and fear further prevent children from disclosing abuse, as seen in this case where young victims initially remained quiet despite suffering physical and emotional trauma.

This case is not an isolated event but symptomatic of broader systemic failures. Pakistan’s child protection infrastructure remains weak, fragmented, and reactive. Laws exist on paper, yet enforcement is inconsistent, and coordination between police, social welfare institutions, and child protection authorities is minimal. There is no robust mechanism for community-based child safeguarding, nor clear pathways for parents and children to seek help. The fact that only after parents lodged FIRs did the police begin to act decisively underscores the reactive, rather than preventive, nature of the system.

The Qayyumabad case should serve as a wake-up call, reminding us that the prevention of child abuse cannot rest solely on police action after crimes have been committed. Communities must be equipped and empowered through awareness campaigns that break the silence around abuse and help families recognize warning signs. Schools should also implement safety programs to teach children about their rights, personal boundaries, and how to report abuse safely.

At the same time, neighborhood gatekeeping systems are essential, where residents, local councils, and child protection units work together to monitor risks and safeguard vulnerable children. These efforts must be supported by strengthened child protection authorities with adequate resources and clear mandates to intervene, monitor, and provide assistance to survivors and their families.

It is important to mention that Pakistan has a National Commission on the Rights of the Child, as well as child protection authorities and units at the provincial and district levels. These structures should be used more effectively, with strict government oversight to ensure accountability and protection for children.

The horrors uncovered in Qayyumabad reveal not just the actions of a single predator but the cost of society’s collective neglect. In a city of millions, one man preyed upon children for years without detection. A chilling reminder of how vulnerable our children remain.

As a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and after the enactment of child-specific legislation, Pakistan bears both a moral and legal responsibility to ensure children’s safety and protection. Still, the continuation of such cases shows a clear gap between policy and action. Unless Pakistan invests in awareness, accountability, and community-based protection, these tragedies will keep happening in front of us.

This is not the first time Pakistan has been shaken by the exposure of systematic child abuse. More than two decades ago, the Javed Iqbal case horrified the nation when the serial killer confessed to murdering over one hundred children in Lahore. Since then, numerous other cases, from the Kasur child abuse scandal to repeated incidents of sexual violence against minors, have surfaced, each time sparking outrage but little sustained reform. These tragedies show a sad pattern, people are shocked, officials make promises, but real prevention and protection are missing. The Qayyumabad case reminds us that without real reforms, such incidents will keep happening.

Beyond institutional reforms, there is also a pressing need to build trust between children, families, and authorities. Too often, victims remain silent out of fear of stigma, disbelief, or retaliation, while parents hesitate to approach the police due to concerns about corruption or insensitivity. Child-friendly reporting channels such as confidential helplines, community focal persons, and safe spaces in schools or health centers can offer children and families safe ways to seek help. However, existing helplines are often ineffective or underused, as many people including children are unaware of or hesitant to use these services. Without such trust and accessibility, even the strongest laws will fail to protect the most vulnerable.

Read: Children’s Life after the Orphanage

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Amir Murtaza is a Researcher and can be reached at amirmurtaza1@hotmail.com

The post Fast-Track Community Safeguards for Kids first appeared on Sindh Courier.

Amir Murtaza 

As a professional specializing in child development, I always advocate the significance of imparting conversational manners to children. Such skills are not only vital for their personal growth and development but also play a crucial role in nurturing healthy relationships and thriving communities.

In Pakistan, there is significant concern about the youth displaying poor manners and disrespectful behavior on social media. The use of fiery and offensive language on online platforms has been exacerbated by political rivalries and differences of opinion on social issues. Despite the possibility of some youth not heeding advice, prioritizing the teaching of conversational manners to children remains crucial.

Conversational manners, also known as social or communication etiquette, are a set of unwritten rules and behaviors that guide our interactions with others during conversations. These manners play a crucial role in shaping how we connect with people, build relationships, and contribute to a positive and respectful society.

Conversation skills play a crucial role in children’s development and well-being. They empower kids to form friendships, express themselves effectively, and build strong connections with others. Effective conversation skills involve both speaking and listening abilities. This includes knowing how to initiate conversations with greetings or questions, using ‘Hello’ or asking curious queries. Children also learn how to appropriately gain attention with phrases like ‘Excuse me,’ establish engagement and rapport through eye contact, practice turn-taking for equitable speaking and active listening, demonstrate polite speech and courtesy, and recognize when it’s time to conclude their talking and allow others to contribute.

Conversational manners, also known as social or communication etiquette, are a set of unwritten rules and behaviors that guide our interactions with others during conversations

During my work, I always emphasize that as a parent or caregiver, you have a significant influence on your child’s conversational development. Merely engaging in conversations with your child whenever possible can be a valuable way to help them hone their conversation skills. Encourage them to speak and actively listen, creating an environment where they feel comfortable expressing themselves and learning from these interactions. By doing so, you can provide your child with the necessary tools to build lasting relationships and communicate effectively with others throughout their lives.

One of the fundamental aspects of conversational manners is respect and empathy. When children are taught to listen actively and acknowledge others’ perspectives, they learn to respond with empathy and understanding. This ability to appreciate different viewpoints fosters a sense of respect for the feelings and thoughts of others, promoting healthier and more meaningful interactions.

Effective communication is another vital skill that conversational manners help develop. Encouraging children to speak clearly, use polite language, and take turns in conversations enables them to express themselves better. As a result, they can engage in more productive discussions and convey their ideas and emotions more effectively.

Moreover, conversational manners aid in relationship building. When children practice these manners, they create a positive and approachable image, making it easier for others to engage with them. This can lead to the formation of meaningful friendships and connections, which are essential for social and emotional development.

Conversational manners also contribute to a child’s self-confidence

Inevitably, conflicts arise in any social setting, and having good conversational manners is critical for resolving these conflicts constructively. When children are taught to express their disagreements respectfully and listen to opposing viewpoints, they develop valuable conflict-resolution skills that will serve them well in various situations throughout their lives.

Conversational manners also contribute to a child’s self-confidence. By knowing how to navigate conversations gracefully, children can reduce social anxiety and actively participate in various settings. This newfound confidence prepares them for facing social challenges with greater ease.

Understanding conversational manners equips children to adapt their communication style appropriately in different environments, be it at home, school, social gatherings, or professional settings. This versatility in communication is a valuable asset that can help them thrive in various social contexts.

As children grow, they may find themselves in leadership roles or engaging in group activities. In these situations, conversational manners are crucial for fostering effective leadership skills and contributing to successful teamwork. Being able to communicate clearly and respectfully with peers is essential for creating a positive and productive team dynamic.

Furthermore, having good conversational manners can significantly impact a child’s reputation among peers, teachers, and the broader community. People are naturally more drawn to those who demonstrate courteous behavior, and this can lead to more positive and fulfilling social interactions.

Also read: A Guide to Conversational Etiquette

In today’s digital age, teaching children proper manners in online conversations and social media interactions is vital. Being respectful, avoiding offensive language, and understanding the potential impact of their words in a virtual space are all critical aspects of responsible digital citizenship.

Finally, conversational manners are not just relevant during childhood; they are lifelong skills. Children who learn and practice these manners early on are more likely to carry them into adulthood, leading to more fulfilling relationships and successful careers. These manners lay the foundation for healthy communication and meaningful connections throughout their lives.

It is important to mention that teaching children conversational manners is an investment in their personal development, fostering empathy, effective communication, and respect for others. These skills lay the foundation for building positive relationships, resolving conflicts, and thriving in various social settings. As children grow and carry these manners into adulthood, they contribute to creating a more polite, understanding, and harmonious society.

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Amir Murtaza is a social sector researcher with a focus on child development and protection. He can be contacted at amirmurtaza1@hotmail.com

The post Teaching Kids Good Manners first appeared on Sindh Courier.

By Nazarul Islam

Last year, in the middle of March we were summarily shuttled into our dark times, never to be forgotten. Overwhelmed by panic and confusion, most of the US state governors made a fateful error. In the midst of a disease panic, leading to political panic, fueled by media pressure, and pushed by scientific elite voracious to try out a new experiment on the human population, governments decided to scrap basic rights and liberties to control a virus.

The virus did its damage anyway, to the extent that we are now left with the carnage one would expect from a draconian shutdown of normal life functioning.

Politicians are unskilled at admitting error. After all, the dominant message throughout their career is usually that they know better than you how to manage life on earth. Why else would they be in charge? Recognition of a massive blunder followed by an apology conflicts with that message, plus admitting error would likely mean taking responsibility for the enormous collateral damage of lockdowns.

That they cannot and must not do – Some governors got fed up early and dialed it back, without much explanation. Others took more time. Only one, Ron DeSantis of Florida had openly acknowledged the enormous error. Like India’s PM Narendra Modi, Most of the rest have cited vaccines and improved case conditions as the reason for scrapping stringencies such as capacity limits, crowd limits, and mandatory masking.

The major problem from early on in this pandemic has been how to undo the calamity—while saving face. There never was an exit plan. Emancipating people from tyranny introduces a risk that people will start asking fundamental questions about why any of this needed to happen. And so, does one need to craft an excuse extremely carefully?

This is especially true of the US Centers for Disease Control, which has been responsible for a messaging mess from the very beginning. There are people there who believe in the “eliminationist” strategy, which implicitly discounts the efficacy of both natural immunity and vaccines, on grounds that total suppression is better. It is because of them and others in this camp that Dr. Fauci and so many others continued to mask up even after being vaccinated. Anything to keep the panic alive!

But pressured by an angry and confused public – what’s the point of immunity if we still can’t be normal? – The CDC on May 13, 2021, suddenly reversed course. It’s easy to see why in retrospect. Too many states had already eliminated the mask mandate without severe consequences. Cases and deaths kept declining, even more dramatically without masks than with them. The CDC had to act to save face.

How did the CDC do this without embarrassment? In allowing people to remove masks, they carefully distinguished between the vaccinated and the unvaccinated – clean and unclean, touchable and untouchable. Outdoors or indoors, the masks can go for those who took the jab. Everyone else – don’t talk about natural immunity – must stay masked.

Again, the next day, even Dr. Fauci was speaking confidently about the ability of the jabbed to live a normal life. It was an amazing switch, coming only a month or two after we had been told to double mask and never risk travelling or being in indoor public settings.

An odd feature of this new directive of course was that we have no national proof of vaccination. Most states will not go there. Such passports have been banned in state after state given the threat to privacy and the basic principle of universal rights. The CDC’s announcement, then, almost immediately led to a national de-masking. Not in all places but most. The entire country began to decompress from its year-long hell.

However, there was a huge problem with the excuse for all of this. There is no vaccine for children, whose risk of severe outcomes from Covid is close to zero. Nor is there evidence that children commonly spread the disease to adults. There simply is no case for their masking. Still, that’s what they did for the better part of a year. Kids were denied the ability to look at each other’s faces.

They were being denied a normal life in ways that I feel sure will shock future historians.

So given the CDC’s directive, can the kids take off their masks? Recall the excuse for de-masking: the vaccine. Such is not available for children nor is it obvious why there should be. Still, given that, and in order to stay consistent with the CDC’s thinking on this, they ended up in a preposterous place.

Adults in the community went mask free while the children were still forced to mask up, all so the “adults” at the CDC could remain consistent with their directive.

Two days following the new CDC mask guideline, the agency announced the following: “CDC recommends schools continue to use the current COVID-19 prevention strategies for the 2020-2021 School-Year… If prevention strategies are strictly adhered to, K–12 schools can safely open for in-person instruction and remain open.” Further from Dr. Fauci: “The children do [need masks] when they’re out there playing with their friends, particularly in an indoor situation, they do.”

Again, that announcement was a bridge too far. School board meetings had already come to be dominated by parents furious at the masking requirement. Those parents and kids were featured on evening news shows like Tucker Carlson Tonight. Also, many governors cried bullocks. Texas’s governor issued an executive order banning masks in school – a direct poke in the eye to the medical bureaucracy. Iowa did the same. Moves along those lines are afoot in Arkansas, Florida, and South Carolina.

If your kids are still masked up in school, along with all the attendant frustrations and confusions, you can thank the CDC – not its scientific reasoning but rather its political positioning. Only the vaccinated can take off the mask. There are no vaccines for children – Quod erat demonstrandum.

Now….on a personal note – and I do wonder if you agree – I’ve felt a sense of heartbreak for a full year, whenever I am shopping or out and about and see young children masked up. What message are they getting from this protocol?

That people are pathogens, their breath is potentially poisonous; the world is a terrifying and dangerous place, that their very presence in the world is a health threat to everyone.

I just cannot imagine what it would be like to be a young child having lived through the last year. Kids are robust and recover from awful things but I do wonder what kind of lifelong trauma this past year introduced to their lives.

The CDC’s directives on masking kids is a paradigmatic example of cruelty wrought upon the most vulnerable by virtue of intellectual pretension, political maneuvering, and a face-saving unwillingness to admit past error.

Those who would sacrifice the well-being of kids to save their own pride have no business purporting to guard public health.

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About the Author

The Bengal-born writer Nazarul Islam is a senior educationist based in USA. He writes for Sindh Courier and the newspapers of Bangladesh, India and America. He is author of a recently published book ‘Chasing Hope’ – a compilation of his 119 articles.

The post Sacrificing children for self-pride… first appeared on Sindh Courier.