Helpline for victims of domestic violence inaugurated | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Helpline for victims of domestic violence inaugurated

By Saher Baloch

Karachi: In order to protect women from domestic violence and abuse, a Helpline Office (1213) has been established by the Sindh police; the main aim of this office is to provide timely help and advice to all women who are physically and psychologically abused.

An inauguration ceremony was held at the South Zone Police Station of Saddar, where a new police station for women is being opened soon to exclusively focus on issues regarding violence and abuse.

National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza inaugurated the Helpline office and hopes that the police station lives to the expectations of the people.

Speaking about the plight of women in Pakistan she said that practices like honour killing are a disgrace to the nation as most of these cases are highlighted by international media quite often.

“The idea of starting up this helpline project means that we as a parliament and as a ruling government are serious about the plight of women and want to do something substantial for them to upgrade their status,” she said. “It is an honor for me to inaugurate a project whose foundation was laid by the late Benazir Bhutto in 1996.”

Dr Mirza said that the Women Protection Bill will be passed soon by the assembly. “The bill related to violence against women has already been passed unanimously by the assembly but the one pertaining to sexual harassment is still pending in the senate, but it will be too passed soon as there are no two opinions about it” she said.

She further stated that it was disheartening to see that after 62 years of independence the country still does not know how to run a State. “Development work started by a political party is stopped as soon as the new government replaces it, which badly affects the economy, the need of the hour is to keep our political difference aside and work together when it comes to the prosperity of our country.”

Others who spoke at the event were Sultan Salahuddin Babar, Inspector General (IG) Sindh who said that the syllabus of trainee students has been revamped and Human Rights have been included to sensitize them. Capital City Police Officer Waseem Ahmed was also present and spoke about the need to punish the perpetrators, to train and sensitise the staff and to sensitively handle the victims of violence.
Source: The News
Date:11/27/2009