Day: December 2, 2006

ISLAMABAD: The male presence would be minimised to a possible extent in the university’s women campus to meet the long-standing demand of female staff, said International Islamic University Acting President Dr Anwar Hussain Siddiqui on Friday.While addressing a gathering of the university’s female staff organised by the University Staff Welfare Association (USWA), Siddiqui said that the lack of staffers at the women’s campus would be covered on the priority basis, adding that mutual cooperation and a true spirit of teamwork was the key to a successful administration. He agreed to write off admission and monthly fees of the day-care centre at the women’s campus and to provide further appliances for maximum comfort to the infants of the female staff at work.

He said that three more buses would be bought for female staff and efforts were underway for establishing an information desk, the appointment of a female provost, arrangement for alternative leaves for working on holidays, construction ofa gymnasium for girls and substituting overtime payment with honorarium. Siddiqui appreciated the performance of female staff and assured that their problems would be solved. Haji Masood Ahmad, USWA president, thanked Dr Siddiqui for giving consideration to the association’s demands and assured that the association would play its role in the university’s development. Shamim Niazi, USWA executive council member, appreciated Dr Siddiqui for his dynamic leadership and administrative capabilities.

Source: Daily Times

Date:12/2/2006

KARACHI: An NGO working for women’s rights condemned the murder of four women in the name of honour and demanded that the killers be arrested, tried and punished sternly.
In a statement issued here on Friday the NGO, Aurat Foundation, said that the four victims — Naseem, Shahzadi, Nasiba and Safia — were killed in Abdoo Goth, Shikarpur, a few days back under the pretext of Karo-kari.It also demanded that the provision of compromise available in the recently passed law regarding Karo-kari, be taken out as owing to the loophole the murderers, who were close relatives, got away with the murder.

It said that at the time of passage of the Karo-kari law, civil society activists had pointed out that the provision of compromise would be misused and it had been proved correct as the cases of Karo-kari killings had not declined.It said that if the government was really serious about the protection of women it should withdraw the provision to compound / compromise available in the Karo-kari law and should take stern steps against the culprits so that it could act as a deterrent and discriminatory customs towards women could be stopped.
Source: Dawn
Date:12/2/2006

ISLAMABAD: President Gen Pervez Musharraf signed into law the Protection of Women Bill, 2006, which amended the widely criticised Hudood laws in the teeth of fierce criticism from religious parties that held protest demonstrations throughout the country on Friday.The bill places rape laws under the penal code and does away with harsh conditions that previously required victims to produce four male witnesses and exposed them to prosecution for adultery if they were unable to prove the crime.The National Assembly voted in favour of the bill on Nov 15 and the Senate approved it on Nov 23.A parliamentary bill becomes a law when it receives the presidential assent under Article 75 of the 1973 Constitution.“President Musharraf today gave his assent to the Women Protection Bill,” federal Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sher Afgan said.

“It has become a law and would immediately be enforced all over the country. The credit goes to President Musharraf for the passage of this bill because he is the only leader who has shown tremendous courage and determination to amend a piece of legislation that had been a bane for women since 1979. I congratulate the nation and all political parties who supported the bill which would benefit the women of Pakistan.”Human rights groups, who have long campaigned for a change in the law, hailed the bill.“This is a step in the right direction,” said Hina Jillani, a vice-chairwoman of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. But her group wants the law, introduced by Gen Ziaul Haq to make Pakistani legislation more Islamic, repealed.
Source: Dawn
Date:12/2/2006

KARACHI: The War Against Rape (WAR) has welcomed the approval of Women Protection Bill by both the houses, terming it ‘a step in the right direction’.In a press release issued here on Friday, it said the WAR expects that under the new law rape cases would no more be dealt under the Zina cases. “It is of a great relief that trumped up charges of Zina has been made virtually impossible and no woman would be sent to jail prior to conviction,” it said.About approving of proposed procedural changes in the registration of rape complaints, it said: “It not only would take cognisance of a rape victim’s complaint but also eliminates the role of the police.“The WAR demands complete repeal of Hudood Ordinances, for it fears the crumbling among political parties over the ordinance would make the implementation of these new laws perhaps rather tricky,” the press release added.
Source: The News
Date:12/2/2006

PESHAWAR: A single bench of Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Friday issued bailable arrest warrants for the mother of a Mardan-based girl who was allegedly sexually molested by her stepfather.The bench comprising PHC Chief Justice Tariq Pervez Khan also directed police to produce her before the court on the next hearing fixed for Dec 11 if she fails to get bail from the court during the period.

Earlier, a representative of the Punjab police informed the PHC that the brother of the girl, Imran, was not found at the address they were given by the court.During the previous hearing of the case on Monday last, the PHC chief justice had summoned the mother and brother of the minor girl. On November 20, the chief justice dismissed the bail petition of a lawyer, Sayatullah, charged with sexually molesting his minor stepdaughter, observing that the applicant did not deserve to be released on bail.
Source: The News
Date:12/2/2006