Shamim Khan is founder and chairman of  Pak Kashmir Labour Party Azad Jammu & Kashmir, which founded on August 14, 2021 in Mirpur Azad Kashmir. This is surely a movement comparable to Jinnah’s Mohammad Ali movement for people of Azad Jammu & Kashmir. Shamim Khan calls it the struggle for New Nation of Azad Jammu & Kashmir.

A fact long-hidden in Pakistan, shrouded in the silence of stigma, is now official. A government report has found that child sexual abuse is disturbingly common in Pakistan, with 141 cases reported in the city of Lahore alone since January 2018. Police say that at least 77 girls and 79 boys were raped or sexually assaulted.

The report found that none of the suspects had yet been convicted. That’s sadly unsurprising given that the criminal justice system in Pakistan, from the time police receive a complaint until trials are completed, is not fit for credibly and expeditiously investigating crimes, and fairly prosecuting those responsible. Poorly trained police often refuse to register complaints or investigate. Instead, they subject the victim to mistreatment and humiliation. And nowhere is this more obvious than in cases of sexual assault.

Several child rape cases have shocked Pakistan in recent months, including the rape and murder of 7-year-old Zainab Ansari in Kasur, Punjab province, the rape and murder of a 5-year-old girl in Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and the rape of a 6-year-old girl in Sukkur, Sindh province.

But instead of improving protection services and initiating criminal justice system reforms, authorities are promoting populist measures, like pursuing the death penalty or even public executions.

That will not solve the problem. For example, the Supreme Court recently upheld the conviction of Imran Ali, who was charged with the rape and murder of at least nine girls. He was able to carry out his crime spree for so long because the police had failed to act promptly on previous complaints against him.

An average of 11 cases of child sexual abuse are reported daily across Pakistan, but only a tiny proportion of such crimes are ever reported to the police, mainly for fear that child survivors will not be treated sympathetically.

The government of Azad Kashmir and Pakistan should do better and provide more training and resources to ensure that the police, doctors, court officials, social workers, and child welfare authorities respond properly to allegations of child sexual abuse. Azad Kashmir and Pakistan’s children deserve a safe childhood.

Shamim Khan believe that education is the best way to empower children, especially girls, with the tools, knowledge, strength and confidence they need to promote and protect their own rights, growth and self- sufficiency. With education, children, families, communities and even nations can break the cycle of poverty.

Shamim Khan has established a political party to mobilise people to lift Azad Kashmir from its present state of despair, and to set it on the path of unity, solidarity, social justice and prosperity.  We set up political party known as Pak Kashmir Labour Party to start support the people of Azad Kashmir. Our mission is to make Azad Kashmir a truly modern democratic, egalitarian, tolerant Islamic welfare state, where every citizen is equal in the eyes of the law with guaranteed full fundamental rights, regardless of gender, caste, creed and religion; or any economic, physical and social condition; so as to enjoy equal opportunity, peace, harmony and happiness.

Shamim Khan is very much hope to share his passion for a fairer world and that you will support the work of Pak Kashmir Labour Party Azad Jammu & Kashmir now and in the future.