June 29, 2002	Saturday	Rabi-us-Sani 17, 1423

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PESHAWAR, June 28: The decision to seal the assets and accounts of the All Pakistan Women Association (Apwa), NWFP, has added more to the miseries of the destitute women and children taking shelter in the association’s shelter house, according to sources.

The decision has, all the more, added to the financial problems of the shelter house. The superintendent of the Daar-ul-Aman told Dawn that issues and problems in the head office of Apwa are causing problems for the shelter house.

The committee, which is now controlling the management and assets of the provincial Apwa, seems not to bother about the shelter house. “It has been almost one week now that the six-member committee has taken over the management of provincial chapter of the association, but neither the chairperson nor any member of the committee has called here,” the woman in charge of Daar-ul-Aman said.

There are almost 22 women and 14 children in the house who are in quandary. Almost all of the women are not in a condition to go out of the house. Some of them are involved in trials and some of them are old and mentally retarded, hence, they need to be provided with food and other facilities within the shelter house also.

There is a 100-year-old Afghan woman, Sitara, who has no relatives, hence, she has taken shelter in Daar-ul-Aman. She is suffering from fever and itching.

Parveen, 35, is living in the house for more than 10 years. She is mentally retarded and needs treatment. Then there is a young widow, who has two daughters suffering from skin disease because of unhygienic conditions in the house. This young widow is studying in the evening and selling packets of Surf to earn money to pay her fee and provide for her two daughters. Apwa had nothing to help this woman. On the other hand, the in charge seems to be unhappy about her going out frequently.

The management of Apwa was dissolved a week ago by the central Apwa, Karachi, and sealed its accounts. This action has affected the lives of these women and children who are living in adverse conditions. The management at the head office is busy solving issues of committee’s election and is probably unaware of the condition in which Daar-ul-Aman is being run by a single woman at the moment.