February 26, 2013 – Pakistan Gender News

February 26, 2013August 20, 2013

Nine women among 18 killed over Karo-Kari during last week

LARKANA: Nine women were among the eighteen people who were killed over Karo-Kari in the province during the last one week. Following are the details of these honour killings:

On Monday, February 18, some armed men shot dead 30-years-old Saeed Ahmad Shar in village Shah Nawaz in Naudero. Father of the deceased registered a case nominating eight accused. In another incident in the jurisdiction of Khadro, 15-years-old Bakhtawar daughter of Abdul Majeed Mallah was killed.

On Tuesday, February 19, a man Altaf Sheikh killed his 22-years-old sister Khursheed Begum in village Muhammad Bakhsh Sheikh of Madeji and on the same day a man Bhagailo shot dead his 28-years-old wife Shahida and a villager Suhno Khoso. A case was registered at Muhammad Pur police station.

On Wednesday, February 20 Agho Buriro killed his wife Zareena and a relative Arshad Buriro in village Ranjhanpur in the limits of Mirpur police station of Thull.

In another incident in the Labour Colony, Shahpur a man Shahid Soomro killed his wife and mother of four, 35-years-old Raheeman Soomro, in the jurisdictions of Mirpur police station of Thull. Brother of the deceased lodged a case with Shahpur police station.

On Thursday, February 20, Ali Gul Jatoi killed his wife and a relative Niaz Jatoi in village Muhib Jatoi of Jacobabad, while 27-years-old Zulekha was killed by her husband in village Achar Sadhayo.

On Friday, February 22 an accused Anwar Solangi killed his wife and mother of two Zohra and a relative Qasim Solangi in Rind Colony Dadu. Later he went to police and surrendered himself and the gun. Similarly, 22-years-old Lal Bakhsh Tunio of village Muhammad Bakhsh Tunio of Shikarpur was killed. On the same way, 25-years-old villager Aladdin Dall of Pathoro was shot dead.

On Saturday, February 23, 18-years-old Akhtar Ali Jatoi was killed under Karo-Kari in village Rasool Abad, Taluka Moro of District Benazir Abad.

On Sunday, February 24, Qaima Umerani, 22, was killed by her husband under the allegation of Karo-Kari. The woman’s brother Nizamuddin Umerani registered a case at the Taluka police station alleging three people Raham Ali Umerani, Bhoral Umerani and Mumtaz Ali Umerani. In another incident on the same day, Ghulam Rasool killed his wife Mariam in village Bahram Banglani in the limits of Faujdari police station, Shikarpur.

The News

February 26, 2013

Representation of Fata women in Parliament demanded

By Hidayat Khan

PESHAWAR: Political activists and civil society members staged a protest, outside the Peshawar Press Club on Monday, demanding the representation of women from Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) in the Parliament.

They were holding banners and placards inscribed with slogans for equal rights for women of Fata. Pigeons were also set free to mark women’s struggle for freedom from dependence on others.
The protesters maintained that they have full support of the men in Fata and the social and cultural conditions of the tribal areas do not prevent them from contesting election and representing the women in Parliament House.

Led by Ayesha Gulalai Wazir, a member of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI), they said that the protest marked the beginning of their movement and they would continue until the women in Fata are not provided decision-making powers among other opportunities at par with the women in other parts of the country.

They further said that the women of tribal areas have rendered sacrifices for the country and thus, should be provided representation in the Parliament. “The women of Fata are living in the stone-age era. They have lost their loved ones and want peace but even then they do not have any role in decision-making,” said Wazir, adding “unless this half of population is not provided their rights, peace cannot be restored in Fata.”

When asked whether the social and cultural conditions of Fata allow women to participate in election and lead the tribal society, she said, “The world has a wrong impression of tribal people, the social and cultural environment is not the hurdle, it is the lack of education and the non-availability of basic rights due which they unable to raise their voice and participate in the democratic process.”

Meanwhile, the women also complained about their living conditions. Mehr Khattak, a protester from Frontier Region Kohat, said, “We should be given opportunities in education and health sector, we have been kept in darkness for years.” Khattak stressed upon the government to include Fata’s women into mainstream politics.

Maryam Bibi, founder and chief executive of Khwendo Kor (sisters’ home), said that the women of Fata are raising voice for their democratic right and should be provide opportunity to represent Fata in Parliament

The Express Tribune

February 26, 2013

‘More than 300,000 women in Lahore still without identity’

* Seminar highlights need to include all eligible women in electoral process
* Participants say women are an important catalyst of change

LAHORE: The participants of a seminar were informed that more than 300,000 women are deprived of their identity in Lahore, which was an alarming situation.

NA-130 under the umbrella of SANGAT Foundation conducted the one-day seminar titled ‘Meri Shankaht, Mera Vote, Lekin…?’ at the TMA Hall Samanabad.

Representatives of the ECP, NADRA, PML-N, MQM and Awami Muslim League participated in the seminar as key-note speakers.

The agenda of the seminar was that more than 300,000 women in Lahore could not cast their vote in the upcoming general election, as they did not have computerised national identity cards.

NADRA Director Manger (MRV) Usman Rabbani requested the SANGAT Foundation to identify the areas where women did not hold CNICs. He said that NADRA would cooperate with the Foundation to lessen this gap in Lahore before the election schedule. He also stated that illiterate people could get their CNICs showing their birth certificates instead of educational degrees.

ECP Election Officer Atif Rahim stated that political identity of a citizen was adult suffrage. To cast a vote was the constitutional and basic right of any woman, he said.

PML-N MPA Kiran Dar stated that women had great importance in society. “To give her freedom to use her basic and constitutional right is the responsibility of her man at home. To get awareness regarding voter education among the women also depends on her man.”

Awami Muslim League Lahore Vice President Ali Hassan Jaffari seconded the statement of Kiran Dar by saying that until men change their mind, “we cannot hope to see positive changes in Pakistan”. He congratulated the SANGAT Foundation for organising such a seminar and hoped that the foundation would continue such efforts in the future to create awareness among people regarding important issues.

Speaking on the occasion, MQM Joint Secretary Azam Danyal stated that no woman was safe in society. “She always depends on her man and is often deprived of her basic rights. It is needed that all parties and civil society organisation work together for the welfare of Pakistan.”

SANGAT NA-130 Programme Officer Asma Aamir said that to cast a vote was the constitutional right of every woman. She said that women had always held great importance in the progress of any society, no matter if it was a developed or a developing one.

“I am a woman. I am a woman that can make a difference. And So I am a woman that can change.”

She said that a positive change in Pakistan was only possible when women also had freedom to use their constitutional rights equally.

She also stated SANGAT Foundation was working on voter registration in NA-122, NA-127 and NA-130 in Lahore with the collaboration of NADRA, and that the initiative would continue in the future.

Daily Times