A meeting of the ‘Hamdard Shura’ was held at the Hamdard Markaz in Rawalpindi, under the auspices of the Hamdard Foundation Pakistan, on the topic: “Innocent Children and the Growing Threat of Cybercrime.” The chief guest for the session was Syed Ammar Jafri, former Additional Director General of the FIA and Chairman of the Pakistan National Cybersecurity Task Force. In her message, Sadia Rashid, National President of the Hamdard Foundation Pakistan, stated that while the modern digital era—with its internet, social networking sites, online games, and artificial intelligence—has created new opportunities for children, the careless use of these tools exposes them to serious dangers, including cybercrime, online exploitation, blackmailing, and exposure to inappropriate content.
Much like in other countries, there is an urgent need in Pakistan to implement effective laws, enhance monitoring, and promote digital awareness to ensure the online safety of children.
Simply keeping children away from mobile phones is not enough; they must be trained in the safe use of the internet, the protection of personal information, and how to identify suspicious contacts. Protecting children is a collective responsibility shared not only by parents but also by the government, educational institutions, national cybercrime investigation agencies, child protection organizations, and technology companies. Speaking on the occasion, the chief guest, Syed Ammar Jafri, remarked that children are the precious asset and the bright future of any nation; their protection is a shared responsibility of the entire society, not just the parents. While we should certainly benefit from modern technology, we must also remain vigilant regarding its associated risks.
A safe child is the foundation of a safe society. Formal education on cybersecurity and digital safety should be introduced in schools and educational institutions so that children, from a young age… …develop an awareness of how to use the internet safely. We should not distance children from technology; rather, we must teach them how to use it in a safe and positive manner. If we take effective measures today to protect our children from cybercrime, then tomorrow, an educated, conscious, and secure generation will emerge.
Imtiaz Haider, Speaker of the Hamdard Shura, along with other members, remarked that protecting children from cybercrime is not solely the responsibility of law enforcement agencies, but a collective duty. We must nurture a generation capable of navigating the digital world with confidence, awareness, and a sense of responsibility. True progress is only possible when, alongside the provision of technological facilities, equal importance is given to the protection, dignity, and future of our children. Other intellectuals present included Dr. Mumtaz Fatima Jafri, Salma Qasir, Engineer Muzaffar Iqbal, Professor Zahid Ali Qureshi, Naeem Akram Qureshi, Hakim Bashir Bhairvi, Tariq Shaheen, Tanveer Nusrat, Dr. Umar Shahbaz Khan, Dr. Noman Ahmed Khan, and Advocate Muhammad Ayub. These participants emphasized that child protection should not be viewed merely as a government responsibility; instead, parents, teachers, the media, and every individual in society must play their part—for a secure future for our children is the guarantee of a strong, conscious, and developed Pakistan. At the conclusion of the session, Amanullah Niazi, Zonal Head of the Hamdard Foundation (Rawalpindi), together with Hamdard Shura Speaker Imtiaz Haider, presented a special shield—inscribed with the message “Live a Life of Safety and Well-being” (Afiyat Se Jeete Raho)—to the guest speaker, Syed Ammar Jafri.
