HYDERABAD, Dec 28 Association for Betterment and Development of Human Beings (ABAD) organised a dialogue on the subject of “Women's Rights and Role of Media” at the press club here on Sunday.

Speaking on the occasion, ABAD leader Rafia Bangash said that even in this modern age, the rights of women in the country were being trampled due to the indifferent attitude of the authorities and apathy of the civil society.

She called upon the saner elements to join hands and work for emancipation of women. She said that her organisation was providing free legal aid to women but it was extremely necessary for the civil society and the media to come forward to help victims of violence. Media must play its role in highlighting gender discrimination, she said.

Noted social worker, Momin Khan said that media was a powerful organ and the fourth pillar of the state and, therefore, it was duty bound to highlight the problems of the society, specially those of women.

He said that only 10 per cent cases of violence against women, including domestic violence, karo-kari and jirga were reported and added that it was the duty of the reporters to unearth the remaining 90 per cent cases.

of ABAD Quoting statistics Manzoor Baloch said that only in 2008, 233 murder cases of women on the basis of karo-kari were reported and added that 5,073 women had obtained Khula due to violence. He stressed the need for bringing all the culprits to book to provide justice to the unfortunate women.

Noted journalists, Iqbal Mallah, Ayub Laghari, and Nasir Shaikh also spoke on the occasion.

SMT The central committee, Sindhi Mazdoor Tehrik at a meeting held here at Awami House on Sunday, has decided to convene a seminar in Karachi very soon to highlight the problems of the working class. The president of the Tehrik Saindad Khaskheli was in the chair.

The meeting observed that during the last 40 years, the working class had been fed on the false slogans of Roti, Kapra aur Makan but they were living in abject poverty.