Government, NGOs asked to help militancy-hit women

PESHAWAR: Chairman of his own faction of Pakistan People’s Party Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao has urged the government and non-governmental organisations to help the women affected by militancy and intolerance.

He was talking to a delegation of Aware Girls, an NGO working for women awareness and empowerment, here on Sunday. The delegation was led by PPP-S central executive committee member Miraj Hamayun Khan.

MPA Nargis Sameen and PPP-S labour wing in-charge Faqir Hussain were also present on the occasion.

Mr Sherpao said that the psychological and physical trauma, those women were going through, had created depression among them. He asked the government to gradually pull them out of the trauma and provide helpful atmosphere to heal their wounds.

The PPP-S leader said that women constituted half of the total population of the country and efforts should be made to provide education and equal opportunities to them.

He said that peace could only be established by taking into account suggestions of the people from all walks of life. He said that Islam condemned all forms of violence against women. “The violence continues in shape of honour killing, domestic violence and sexual assault,” he said. Mr Sherpao criticised the government for what he called its failure to steer the country out of the prevailing crises.

He said that the economy was stagnating owing to energy scarcity and the worsening law and order situation. The government did nothing to overcome those crises, he alleged.

The PPP-S leader also lashed at ANP-led provincial government, saying people had lost trust in the so-called champions of Pakhtun rights.

Dawn