15/11/2024
The Lahore High Court has instructed the provincial secretary of the school education department to establish a committee aimed at addressing physical bullying, cyberbullying, and harassment in educational institutions. This directive came during a hearing of a public interest petition filed by lawyer Sibah Farooq and her daughter, advocating for a safer school environment in the province.
During the hearing, the Special Secretary of the School Education Department, Muhammad Iqbal, reported that the government was already implementing measures under existing laws to combat bullying in schools. The Assistant Advocate General suggested that further legal provisions could enhance the safe educational environment. The petitioner’s counsel, Barrister Ahmad Pansota, emphasized the need for strengthening the existing Child Protection Policy with judicial support.
Justice Jawad Hassan highlighted the court’s commitment to child justice and ordered the formation of a committee to focus on reducing both physical and online bullying and harassment. This committee will include experts from relevant fields, as well as the petitioner and her counsel. The court has postponed the hearing until November 21.
