Day: April 24, 2012

ISLAMABAD: Rejecting a report submitted by the Punjab inspector general (IG) in the abduction and rape of a woman, Sonia Naz, the Supreme Court on Monday ordered the Punjab Police to register a first information report (FIR) in the murder of her father-in-law, Malik Yousaf.

A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, also ordered the police to investigate Sonia Naz case in light of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Zafar Qureshi’s report. The 300-page report read that evidence produced by Naz to substantiate the rape charge was powerful and convincing.

According to the report, a letter had been written to the Punjab secretary (services) to take action against former Faisalabad Range DIG Chaudhry Sajjad Ahmed, former SP (investigation) Abdullah Khalid, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mushtaq Ahmed, DSP Mansoor Ahmad, Rasheed Ahmad Malik and Assistant Superintendent of Police Naeem Ahmed Sheikh. The court was informed that Abdullah was retired on May 1, 2006. At that time he was suspended from service and an inquiry was being conducted against him. The proceedings were held in his abeyance on the directions of the government. The IG’s report reads that the Toba Tek Singh district police officer had served show-cause notices on Inspector Jamsheed Iqbal Chishti.

The DPO has also awarded Chishti a major punishment of forfeiture of two years approved service. The report also read that a case has been registered against eight accused for Yousaf’s murder. The Lahore district and sessions judge has been requested to issue orders to exhume the grave of the deceased. The court adjourned the hearing until May 10.

Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Disposing of a suo motu case, the Supreme Court on Monday directed the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to furnish its report to the SC Registrar’s Office within three weeks regarding an amendment in NADRA’s regulation to resolve problems faced by Hindu women in obtaining Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs).

After the amendment process, the court also ordered NADRA to advertise its decision in the newspapers for awareness of the people. The court also observed that it was the duty of parliament to do legislation on Hindu marriages.

A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Tariq Parvez was hearing a suo motu case initiated on media reports that a Hindu woman, Pram Sari Mai, was not issued a passport despite paying a handsome fee for it. On the last hearing, the court had directed NADRA to sort out permanent solution of the issue and submit a report on Monday. During the hearing, the NADRA director (legal) told the bench that NADRA had decided to amend its regulation regarding the matter. He said that a meeting of NADRA’s board of authority had been summoned, but the amendment could not be finalised due to the absence of some directors.

He requested the bench to adjourn the hearing for three weeks so that the amendment could be done. Accepting his plea, the court disposed of the matter and directed NADRA to submit a compliance report to the SC Registrar’s Office within three weeks.

Earlier, former attorney general Maulvi Anwarul Haq had told the bench that NADRA had issued a new circular about issuance of CNIC to the Hindu woman through a simple affidavit.

Upon this, the chief justice observed that it was a temporary solution. He said the NADRA chairman had legal authority to amend the law pertaining to the matter. He said the government should be consulted, if needed. The court had expressed reservations over miseries of the Hindu community, particularly in verification of their women’s marriage contract before issuing of CNICs to them. “How can we satisfy three million Pakistani Hindu people, as they have equal rights as you have,” the chief justice had said.

Daily Times

THIS is with regard to Hassan Qayyum’s comment ‘Women in public buses: another view’ (March 24). If one is to count the number of women who are actually able to sit, they are not more than 12. Women literally try to fill in the nooks where they often have children alongside them.

If the area is more spacious, more women will be able to avail themselves of the service being provided. This is so because it is still a cheaper option for conveyance.

As far the argument that the men’s compartment does not suffice, the truth of the matter is that even if one whole bus was allocated for men it would be inadequate at one point in time, anyway.

It is about sticking to the place that has been designated for you and not filling the women side that reaches its brink in no time.

Thirdly, conductors go to the extent of pushing women passengers around so that I don’t see why bus operators cannot win their earnings a bit more decently by just expanding on the women’s area.

HANIYA JAVED
Karachi

Dawn

WOMEN can play a vital role in the development and overall increase in the GDP of the country.

This needs no confirmation that gender equality can bring an economic change and make a self-reliant society.

But the way women’s contributions in our society are neglected is deplorable. Many factors are proactive in this regard.

Religious orthodoxy seems to top the list when we look at the problem more meticulously.

A religious Mufti on being asked as to what was a woman’s place in the modern era, replied that a woman’s place was her home.

So the result deduced is that the first resistance women face today is religious orthodoxy.

We live in a male-dominated feudal society where a male doesn’t allow his mother, sister, wife and daughter to go out to earn a living. We lack tolerance and trust.

Government policies to empower women are scanty and somewhat non-serious. Legislation takes place, new laws and regulations are formulated every now and then, but when it comes to the implementation of these laws, it is regrettably argued that no one seems serious about enabling women to legally share the burden which the country’s male population cannot bear alone.

Every year women’s day is celebrated with a view to strengthening them and bringing them at par with men.

However, this is never done. Where does the hypocrisy lie? Nobody knows or, perhaps, everybody knows.

ASHFAQUE SOOMRO
Khairpur Mir’s

Dawn

ISLAMABAD: Sonia Naz, an assault victim, told the Supreme Court on Monday that she was receiving threats from her tormenters for taking the matter to the court.

Ms Naz appeared before a three-judge Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and claimed that after the last hearing on March 30, she had received a call from Khurram Bajwa, an inmate serving a jail term, threatening that she would suffer for having taken the case to the apex court.

Advocate Zulfikar Bhutta is representing the rape victim.

Punjab’s additional advocate-general Rana Jawwad assured the court that a case would soon be registered.

He read out a report prepared by police after Punjab’s secretary services had asked higher officials to take an action against the police officers involved in the rape that had taken place in 2005.

The accused police officers include former Faisalabad DIG Chaudhry Sajjad Ahmad, SP Abdullah Khalid, SDPO Sardar Jhang Ashig Ali, DSP Rasheed Ahmad Malik, DSP Mansoor Ahmad and ASP Naeem Ahmad.

Abdullah Khalid, an absconder, retired in May 2006.

Khalid later surrendered to the relevant court which accepted his surety bond on March 30.

Another show-cause notice on fresh grounds was issued to Inspector Jamshed Iqbal Chishti, the main character in the case.

About registration of the case of murder of Mohammad Yousaf, father-in-law of Sonia Naz, the court was told that the FIR had been registered on April 13, 2012, while he had been killed in July 2007.

The case is under investigation.

The court declared the report unsatisfactory and asked police to complete investigation by May 10 in the light of an inquiry earlier conducted by former DIG Zafar Qureshi who had found allegations against accused Khalid Abdullah and Inspector Jamshed Chishti about Sonia’s rape as substantial.

Mr Qureshi had also recommended a comprehensive probe against the accused after the registration of FIR saying the evidence produced by Sonia Naz to substantiate the charges of rape were powerful and convincing.

Dawn