Day: December 18, 2012

Women entrepreneurs have termed the rising incidents of extortion of money, kidnapping for ransom, increased loadshedding of gas and power, and government unrealistic policies as real causes of economic mess in the country and demanded of the government to provide them protection and concession to carry out business activities. They were of the view the government must encourage women entrepreneurs if we want to make Pakistan strong economically and politically.

They further said the government should also honour women entrepreneurs on same grounds as homer industrials and traders with government meddlers to encourage them. Former member of Managing Committee, Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and Advisor Women Entrepreneur Sub-Committee of the Chamber, Durre-e-Shahwar said the Chamber intended to provide better working environment to new women entrepreneur.

Talking to media, she said that in order to fully capture and effectively utilise the talents of women in new venture creations in the future, they should be provided incentives. KCCI Member Shagufta Sheikh pointed out that the fee charged for participating in international exhibition was extremely high and unaffordable for women entrepreneurs.

She suggested that the Trade Development Authority Pakistan (TDAP) should provide subsidy to women enterprises for participating in exhibitions held abroad from time to time. She further suggested that the Federal Ministry for Commerce should direct TDAP to provide free of cost participating facility in international exhibition to those women entrepreneur producing value-added goods.

Renowned Beautician Sabiha Saqib said that her organisation was providing training facility to young girls on most modern lines so that they should establish beauty parlours. She was of the view that government should take appropriate measures to improve law and order condition in the city to boost business activities. Dr Saira Bano was of the view that due to lack of interest of the government, information technology sector was facing serious setback, and said the government was colleting heavy sales tax on import of IT which was unjustified. She said that a very lager number of girls entered in IT sector but they disheartened due to poor planning of the government.

Business Recorder

KARACHI: The universe – as the name Kainat means – seems to be on her side. Although gang rape survivor Kainat Soomro lost her legal battle 20 months ago, there is still a ray of hope.

The Sindh High Court has issued warrants to arrest two of the four suspects, who were all acquitted of rape charges in May 2010. Only last month, the minor had won a case for compensation by the government.

In January 2007, Kainat – then 13 years old – was abducted from her hometown in Dadu district. Four men kept the minor with them for four days and repeatedly assaulted her, Kainat said. She later managed to escape. Instead of punishing the perpetrators, the tribal elders declared her “kari” [a woman liable to be killed for dishonouring customs].

In a daring move, Kainat’s family refused to abide by the elders’ decision to murder their daughter. They even registered a case against the four suspects identified by the rape survivor – Shaban Sheikh, Kaleemullah Lashari, Ahsan Thebo and Roshan Ali Thebo – with the Meher police in Dadu.

In an unfortunate turn of events, Kainat lost her three-year-long legal battle when a sessions court dismissed her case on “conflicting” evidence. All the suspects, then jailed, were acquitted on “the benefit of the doubt”.

Soon after the court verdict, Kainat also lost her brother, who had been pursuing her case in courts. Sabir Soomro, 24, had been kidnapped from Meher, Dadu on March 28 and was killed three months later in Khuzdar, Balochistan, by unknown people and for unknown reasons. Reports suggested the young man had gone home to sell off the family house in order to fund the court expenses when he was abducted.

The gang rape survivor has, however, still not lost hope. She has again taken her matter to court, challenging the acquittal of the four suspects nearly two years ago. “All the men were acquitted because the trial judge failed to realise the evidence placed on record,” she stated in her plea filed in the Sindh High Court.

On the last date of hearing, the judges had issued notices through the Dadu SSP to all the four defendants to appear before the court. None of them was at the court when the case was taken up on Monday. An official from the Dadu SSP office told the judges that two suspects – Ahsan Thebo and his father Roshan Ali Thebo – refused to receive the court summons when contacted. The judges took exception to the suspects’ behaviour.

Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, who headed the bench, ordered issuing bailable arrest warrants to the sum of Rs25,000 each against the two men. The Dadu SSP was ordered to ensure their attendance in court within three weeks.

The Express Tribune

KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari sent on Monday a bouquet to a six-year-old rape victim from Umerkot district admitted to the Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Hospital Lyari, and asked the Sindh government to provide necessary help to the victim and bring the perpetrators to book.

In a message, he also pledged to protect all weak segments of society from atrocities and violence.

Bilawal House media coordinator Surendar Valasai gave the bouquet to the girl on behalf of Mr Bhutto-Zardari in the hospital. PPP Karachi division information secretary Lateef Mughal and former PPP MPA Gianchand Meghwar were also present.

The small girl was kidnapped in Ghulam Nabi Shah town in Umerkot district early this month and raped by some men.

The PPP chairman instructed the Sindh government to provide every kind of assistance, including the best medical facilities, to the victim and her family and to take stringent action against the culprits.

Dawn