Stringent punishment proposed for anti-women crimes
ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Women Development suggested a seven to 10 years imprisonment in ‘Vani’ cases and called for making this crime a non-bailable and non-compoundable offence.
The Senate committee, which met here on Tuesday at the Parliament House with Senator Tahira Latif in the chair to discuss and review the recommendations of the subcommittee on laws of inheritance and on evil practices like ‘Vani,’ ‘Sawara’ etc which have marginalised the social status of the womenfolk of the country.
Senator Sardar Jamal Khan Leghari, convener of the subcommittee highlighted salient features of the report.The committee approved the recommendations with certain amendments after threadbare discussion.
The committee called upon the Women Development Ministry to devise ways and means through advocacy, motivation programmes and effective media campaign in favour of granting inheritance rights to women and condemning the evil of ‘Vani’ and other unjust practices.
It also suggested incorporation of material on women’s right of inheritance in the syllabus from Class-VI onwards.
The members of the committee were of the view that issues of ‘Vani’ and ‘Sawara’ were heinous crimes against women and called upon women political leaders to educate councillors on these issues to create awareness among women.
Federal Minister for Women Development Sumaira Malik assured the committee that a viable plan has been chalked out to create awareness among masses through media. She suggested that the parliamentarians should come forward and participate in the awareness campaign. She said that government was seriously considering making more laws on issues pertaining to women.
The members of the committee commended the work done by the subcommittee headed by Senator Sardar Jamal Khan Leghari and expressed view that these recommendations would pave the way for legislation aimed at the welfare of women. Chairperson of the committee Senator Tahira Latif praised the government for initiating projects for the well being of women provide them relief against unjust exploitations.
The meeting was attended by Senators Fauzia Fakhar-uz-Zaman Khan, Yasmin Shah, Sabina Rauf, Semeen Siddique and Sardar Jamal Khan Leghari. Federal Minister for Women Development Sumaira Malik, secretary ministry of women development and senior officials of the ministry were also present.
Source: The News
Date:2/21/2007
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