LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has issued a set of guidelines to the Punjab government on protection of women at shelter homes (Darul Aman), including removal of all male staff, except essential officials, from such facilities.

Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh passed the instructions on multiple identical petitions filed by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and others, in the wake of allegations of sexual exploitation of orphans, levelled by Afshan Latif, a former superintendent of Kashana Lahore, a shelter for destitute and orphan girls, in November 2019.

However, an inquiry by the Chief Minister’s Inspection Team (CMIT) found the allegations false and recommended disciplinary proceedings against Ms Latif under the PEEDA Act 2006 for inefficiency and misconduct.

Justice Sheikh issued certain directions to the government to take legislative and administrative measures for the protection of women and children living at shelter homes.

The Punjab government has been directed to formulate and notify rules under the Punjab Protection of Women against Violence Act 2016 and the Punjab Women Protection Authority Act 2017 to comprehensively regulate all shelter homes and protection centres in the province.

The judge also directed the government to formulate and notify rules under the Punjab Destitute and Neglected Children Act 2004 for implementation of the law in letter and spirit, including the rules for the effective administration and management of child protection institutions.

The government has been instructed to constitute and notify mandatory women protection committees for every district within three months and also properly train the women protection officers and other employees within the protection system.

Justice Sheikh further directed all district & session judges to conduct thorough inspections of shelter homes in their jurisdiction, at least once every two months, and ensure the residents’ complaints are duly addressed and resolved.

The judge said CCTV cameras should be installed, if not already in place, at the entrances and on the premises of all shelter homes, besides round-the-clock deployment of women police constables there.

For child protection, the judge directed the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau to frame its regulations, particularly to ensure minimum standards of care in these institutions and to facilitate hassle-free meetings between parents and their wards.

Justice Sheikh further directed the government to ensure access to information and to fulfill its statutory duties under the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act 2013.

Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2024