Children's Rights


International Children's Day - October 20


Pakistan: Children Let Down by the Justice System

Amnesty International is concerned that thousands of children detained in Pakistani jails are being denied basic rights and are subjected to neglect and abuse. Lack of knowledge of the law, impunity for abuses, lack of resources, and corruption all contribute to the failure of the legal system to ensure children's rights.

#
Juveniles waiting to be returned to their barracks in Faisalabad Borstal, July 2003. (© AI)

Around 4,500 children are currently in detention in Pakistan. More than 3,000 of them have not been convicted of any offence - their trials either wait to begin or have not yet been completed.

Children accused of petty crimes in Pakistan have often been held for several months without trial, while those accused of more serious offences, such as murder, may spend several years in prison awaiting the conclusion of their trial. Recent figures indicate that once they eventually do get to trial, conviction rates are as low as 15-20%.

Almost all of the children who are imprisoned in Pakistan come from the poorest sectors of society. Their families do not have the education, influence or resources that would enable them to realize their rights. The bail is so high that many children remain in prison not because they are regarded as a danger to themselves or others, but simply because they are poor.

Children are often held in illegal detention for many days before their parents or guardians even know that they have been arrested. Boys and girls are frequently held with adults and transported in chains. Girls are held in women's cells in regular police stations and interrogated without a woman police officer or a male relative to prevent abuse.

Pakistan was one of the first states to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in 1990. In order to fulfill its obligations under the CRC, the government has introduced measures such as the Juvenile Justice System Ordinance (JJSO), which came into force in 2000. However, a widespread lack of awareness of these measures and the failure to implement them means that the rights of children in police custody or prison in Pakistan are often denied.