Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Maryam Nawaz Sharif, on Tuesday expressed gratitude after the province’s Virtual Centre for Child Safety (VCCS) project named “Mera Pyara” was recognised as a Global Champion by the United Nations (UN) supported World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Awards 2026.
This is a significant achievement for Pakistan, as two projects initiated under the Chief Minister’s leadership ranked highly in this esteemed international competition.
The “Mera Pyara” project was listed among the top five initiatives worldwide, while the Virtual Women Police Station made it to the top 20 projects globally.
The Punjab CM congratulated the project team, stating that the acknowledgment of two Punjab government initiatives at a United Nations forum is a source of pride for Pakistan and showcases the province’s advancements in digital governance and public service delivery.
She noted that the Virtual Centre for Child Safety has set a remarkable standard by managing over 145,000 child-related cases and effectively addressing more than 54,000 cases of missing children. She praised the efforts to locate and safeguard missing children as highly commendable.
CM Maryam Nawaz mentioned that the project has also provided support in cases of child abuse, online harassment, and the protection of at-risk children.
She emphasised that the international recognition of “Mera Pyara” reflects global trust in technology-based public services and improves Pakistan’s positive image on the world stage.
As per the WSIS report, the Virtual Centre for Child Safety has dealt with 145,772 cases across different categories, successfully resolving 136,157 of them. Additionally, 26,274 FIRs have been filed, and 7,081 challans have been submitted to the courts.
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