Police must ensure that all procedures involving child witnesses are lawful and protective. Pakistan does not have one single “child witness law,” but a combination of laws provide protections:
| Federal/ Provincial Laws | |
|---|---|
| Law | Relevance to Child Witnesses |
| Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1898 | Governs investigation, statements, custody, court production and trial procedures |
| Qanun-e-Shahadat Order, 1984 | Allows children to testify if capable of understanding truth and falsehood; reliability is key |
| Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) Act, 2021 | Provides strong protections for child witnesses in sexual-offence trials, including identity protection and in-camera hearings |
| Sindh Witness Protection Act, 2013 | Enables formal protection measures where the safety of a child witness is at risk |
| Sindh Child Protection Authority Act, 2011 | Ensures welfare support and case management for vulnerable child witnesses |
| Juvenile Justice System Act (JJSA), 2018 | Protects privacy and child-sensitive handling in juvenile cases |
️⃣Ensure the child is treated as a child (under 18)
️⃣Record statements lawfully under CrPC
️⃣Apply Qanun-e-Shahadat competency principles
️⃣Use Anti-Rape Act protections in sexual-offence cases
️⃣Activate Sindh Witness Protection Act where threats exist