Pak kids grow faster than global counterparts because of spicy food, claims minister

Islamabad, Mar 8 (ANI): Pakistan's Interior Minister has said that the nation's children grow up more quickly than in other countries due to the hot climate and spicy food.

"It can be well understood that attainment of maturity of understanding depends on social, economic, climatic, dietary and environmental factors," the ministry said.

"That's why a child in our subcontinent starts understanding nature and consequences of his/her conduct much earlier than a child in the west specially because of general poverty, hot climate, exotic and spicy food which contribute towards speedy physical and mental growth of the child," the Daily Mail quoted the statement, as saying.

A change in law that would allow the criminal age of responsibility in Pakistan to be raised from seven to 12 has been hindered by authorities who claim it is unnecessary because of curry.

Raising the age to 12 would adhere with the United Nations guidelines, but the move has frustrated politicians who want to see a bill passed to that effect.

The bill, which was drafted three years ago, would also make child pornography, child trafficking and sexual abuse illegal for the first time.

Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, head of the Ministry of Human Rights, said Pakistan could be subjected to international sanctions if it failed to raise the minimum age for prosecutions.

"These are the problem I have to deal with. Not only are we trying to raise the age of criminal liability, but we are also trying to introduce legislation to outlaw child pornography, trafficking and abuse which doesn't exist in Pakistan at the moment," The Daily Telegraph quoted him, as saying.

He added that the legislation was being obstructed due to 'an unscientific theory that children here mature faster'. (ANI)

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