Karachi (HRNW)– Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah led an awareness walk at Sea View on the occasion of World Children’s Day, reaffirming the provincial government’s commitment to protecting children’s rights, ensuring their welfare, and improving access to education.
The Chief Minister was welcomed by Provincial Minister for Social Welfare Mir Tariq Ali Talpur, Secretary Social Welfare Agha Sohail, and other officials. The event, organized by the Social Welfare Department, highlighted issues related to children’s rights, protection, education, and overall welfare.
Citizens participating in the walk appreciated the ongoing government efforts for child protection across Sindh. CM Murad Ali Shah interacted affectionately with children, calling them “the valuable assets of the nation,” and emphasized that protecting their rights is the government’s top priority.
He said the government aims to create a society where every child feels safe, confident and empowered, adding that the world becomes more beautiful with children’s love and proper upbringing.
Speaking to the media, the Chief Minister expressed concern over the 70,000 out-of-school children in Sindh and announced a special program to bring them back into the education system. He said the goal is to reduce this number by half within the next three years, urging philanthropists to support the newly introduced digital learning schools.
He warned that without immediate action, the number of out-of-school children nationwide could reach 50 million in the next five years.
The Chief Minister highlighted ongoing legislation to prevent child labor and strengthen protection laws. He noted that Sindh is strictly enforcing its Child Marriage Restraint Act and takes every case of child abuse very seriously.
Murad Ali Shah stressed that poverty remains the biggest barrier to education but said the government is addressing it through digital learning initiatives and reforms such as merit-based teacher recruitment. He also acknowledged that many teachers continue to protest despite having a key responsibility towards children’s education.
He added that Sindh is the only province where students are regularly taught about “good touch and bad touch” to raise awareness and prevent abuse.
Children wearing special shirts and caps participated in the walk, along with a large number of civil society members, as the Social Welfare Department held various activities across the province to mark Universal Children’s Day.
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