HYDERABAD, March 8: Women's and human rights organizations and political parties held rallies and seminars in Sindh on Tuesday to observe the International Women's Day.
Speakers at different gatherings condemned barbaric customs of karo-kari and jirga and inhuman excesses committed against women. They demanded protection of women, special arrangements for their education and healthcare and repeal of discriminatory laws against them.
In Hyderabad, a procession was taken out under the banner of the Sindh Aurat Sabha, which started from outside the central prison, and after marching on main roads, terminated at the press club.
A declaration was read out by Rehana Channar, which regretted that although Pakistan was a signatory to the UN human rights declaration, women were being treated like slaves in the country.
It observed that the karokari bill was just an eyewash and it would remain ineffective unless the Qisas and Diyat Ordinance was repealed. The declaration condemned a criminal assault on a lady doctor of the Sui hospital.
A seminar was held at the Holm Stead Hall under the aegis of the Pakistan Women Councillors' Association. The women's wing of the People's Party Parliamentarians staged a march from Tando Yousuf to the press club, which was led by MPA Farheen Mughal and others.
LARKANA: Speakers at a seminar in Shahdadkot stressed the need for action against those indulging in killing women on the pretext of karokari. Khairpur District Nazim Nafisa Shah presided over the seminar which was held under the auspices of the Pirbhat Women Welfare Association.
Speaking at the seminar, Ms Shah termed the Hudood Ordinance a black law and said that a strict law was the need of the hour to curb karokari killing. A women rights activist from Lahore, Ms Tanveer, Abdul Khaliq from Balochistan, Wahab Pandrani of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Ambreen Nawaz and Nisar Khokhar also spoke on the occasion.
Another function was held in the Darul Aman and a procession was taken out by women activists of the PPP.
NAWABSHAH: Members of the ladies' wing of the PPP took out a procession here, which started from the party office and ended at the press club. Speaking on the occasion, Qamarunnisa Dhamraho said that the women needed to be educated to get her rights and fight against injustice.
The Sindh Graduates Association and the Aurat Foundation arranged a programme in which MPA Ghulam Qadir Chandio and others spoke.
DADU: A procession was taken out here, which was largely attended by women and led by the district president of the PPP ladies' wing, Kulsoom Chandio. Speaking on the occasion, Ms Chandio and Shireen Qureshi said that the government had failed to protect women against violence.
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