Ibad praises passage of bill on Karo-kari | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Ibad praises passage of bill on Karo-kari

KARACHI – Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan said on October 28, that the passage of the bill on honour killing would have a reformative impact on the social fabric of Sindh , where once action against karo-kari was regarded as a social good but is now being considered as a social evil.

“The passage of the bill in the National Assembly became possible due to the one-and-a-half years long campaign started in March-April last year to create greater awareness of the custom of karo-kari in Sindh,” said the governor while talking to media representatives in the Governor’s House.

Sindh Minister for Home Affairs Rauf Siddiqi, Adviser to Chief Minister for Information Salahuddin Hyder, Principal Secretary Brig Akhtar Zamin, Home Secretary Brig Mohtaram, Law Secretary Ghulam Nabi Shah and Additional Advocate-General of Sindh Kazi Khalid Ali were also present on the occasion.

The governor said that during the anti-karo-kari campaign which required great courage and political will to raise voice against this evil custom targeting women, detailed statistics were collected and such issues were addressed as could strengthen the forces against this custom to bring an end to it.

He said the provincial government, in the light of the campaign against karo-kari, sent its legal and political recommendations to the federal government so as to strengthen the prosecution side as well.

It was suggested that private lawyers should be hired to pursue the cases of karo-kari in a sustained manner.

The governor eulogised the press for its role in creating the desired awareness in an effective manner and piloting the issue in a sustainable manner.

By the grace of Allah and with team work, not only awareness was created against karo-kari but it helped in paving the way for introducing the bill in the National Assembly, the governor observed.

Replying to a question, the governor said that after the bill became a law for practice, the role of courts thereof would also be the most significant in tackling cases of karo-kari.

Source: Dawn

Date:10/29/2004