HYDERABAD, Jan 9: Women members of the Sindh Assembly, human rights activists and representatives of NGOs have termed karo-kari a distortion of culture and history of Sindh.

They pointed out that main characters in the poetry of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai were women which showed the dignity of women in Sindhi society.

They were speaking at a function organized by Oxfam against karo-kari here on Saturday.

They said a movement would be launched with a view to creating awareness among people against all forms of violence against women.

Oxfam representative Dr Arifa said that about 1,500 women were being killed every year in Pakistan due to illiteracy.

She said Oxfam had launched a campaign against karo-kari in 2004 which would continue upto 2011.

MPA Humera Alwani said when women MPAs tried to move a resolution in the Sindh Assembly against karo-kari, the speaker did not allow them to speak.

She said rights of women in society could not be protected unless every individual and every house changed their mindset.

She said the life of a woman was no less important than the life of a man.

MPA Farheen Mughal said the voice of enlightened people was rendered weak when a jirga in the chief minister house supported karo-kari.

She said she would continue to raise her voice against such inhuman customs in the Sindh Assembly.

Ambreen Shaikh said Oxfam would hold awareness meetings against karo-kari in Larkana, Qambar-Shahdadkot, Ghotki, Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Kashmore, Hyderabad and Dadu.

She appealed to enlightened men and women from all walks of life to cooperate with Oxfam in this noble cause.

A representative of the Amnesty International, Mr Iqbal Detho, said many organizations in Sindh were struggling against karo-kari.

He proposed that all these organizations should launch a joint struggle from one platform.

The president of the Hyderabad press club, Mr Iqbal Mallah, dispelled the impression that all people of Sindh were engaged in massacre of women.

He said that impression had brought a bad name to the entire province.

He called upon NGOs to set up a shelter house in Sukkur or Hyderabad for oppressed women.

A. G. Chandio, Rehana Channar, Nasreen Shakeel Pathan and Rasheeda Panhwar spoke on the occasion.

SHC: Sindh Hari Committee president Azhar Jatoi has said that people of Sindh will not tolerate construction of Kalabagh dam or any other dam on the Indus River.

He said the Indus River was lifeline for people of Sindh and they would spare no sacrifices to protect the Indus waters.

He was speaking at the central committee meeting of Sindh Hari Committee at Hari Haqdar Secretariat here on Sunday.

He criticized the rulers for construction of Kalabagh dam when it had been rejected by three elected assemblies.

He condemned army operation in Balochistan and said the rulers had created 1971-like situation in the country.

He warned that if army operation in Balochistan was not stopped consequences would be simply disastrous.

The meeting decided to launch a public mobilization campaign against construction of Kalabagh dam after Eidul Azha.