Sir: Human rights are the basic standards that people need to live in dignity. In addition to the rights that are available to all people, there are special rights that apply only to children because of their unique needs. The constitution of Pakistan as well as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, ratified by Pakistan, provides rights for children. These rights are related to education, freedom of expression, freedom of thought and protection from violence, exploitation, abuse and maltreatment, etc.However, the violation of these rights is increasing gradually. In 2010, 2011 and 2012 the reported cases of child sexual abuse were 2,595, 2,303 and 2,788 respectively. There were 75 cases of child marriages and 1,486 cases of child abduction. About 6.5 million children are out of school. Bills related to the rights of children are pending — the National Commission on the Rights of the Child (NCRC) Bill 2001, Criminal Law (Child Protection) Amendment Bill, The Prohibition Of Corporal Punishment Bill and Child Marriage Restraint (Amendment) Bill 2010. Although the new government is facing severe challenges, it also needs to focus on the children of the country.Mudassar Hassan Lahore