KP CM vows tougher child protection laws

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi vowed on Saturday to implement stricter child protection laws in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa following the rape and murder of a five-year-old girl in Haripur. The girl went missing from outside her home on August 10, and her body was discovered on August 24 from an unused well near her residence, following information from one of the four suspects arrested in the case.

Afridi expressed his condolences to the victim's family and vowed that the perpetrators, regardless of their age, would be given exemplary punishment to deter future crimes of this nature. He promised to rename the Child Protection and Welfare Act in the province after the minor girl and assured her family of the provincial government's support in bringing the culprits to justice.

The chief minister described the crime as inhumane and an act of savagery, adding that if the government and administration fail to protect children from such criminals, the offices should be closed. Afridi directed the district administration, especially the police, to strengthen their authority to safeguard citizens of all ages.

He appealed to the judiciary to refrain from granting relief to those involved in such incidents. The chief minister assured the victim's father that the provincial government would provide financial assistance, a government job, and renamed the Government High School for Girls in Pathan Colony in her memory. Additionally, a Rs2 billion Safe City cameras project was announced for Haripur city.