So Pakistan recruits ‘children’ in combat forces! US takes action, US adds Pakistan in Child Soldiers recruiter list

Washington / Islamabad : The US has included Pakistan along with 14 other countries in a list of the Prevention of Child Soldier Protection Act. The law identifies countries where government-backed armed groups recruit or use child soldiers. Pakistan’s inclusion in this list could lead to restrictions on certain security aids and commercial licensing of military equipment.

The U.S. Child Soldier Prevention Act (CSPA) requires the publication of a list of other countries that have recruited or repatriated child soldiers in the past year (from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021) in the Annual Report on Trafficking in Persons (TIP). be used. The countries included in the US State Department’s annual TIP list include Pakistan, Turkey, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Congo, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Mali, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the countries included in the list will be banned in the next financial year on certain security aids and commercial licensing of military equipment.

Who are child soldiers?

‘Child soldier’ ​​means any person under the age of 18 who takes part directly in combat or who is forcibly recruited into the Government Armed Forces, the Police or other security forces. It also means a person below the age of 15 who has voluntarily joined the Government Armed Forces, Police or other security forces. The CSPA prohibits aid to countries on the list under international military education and training, foreign military funding, peacekeeping missions, etc.

Pakistan on Friday termed its inclusion in the CSPA list by the US as “baseless”. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said, “We reject the inclusion of Pakistan in the Child Soldier Prevention Act list without any evidence and grounds.”