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| January 21, 2003 | Tuesday | Ziqa’ad 17, 1423 |
NA body to focus on Karo-kari, tribal feuds
SUKKUR, Jan 20: The chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee on Human Rights, MNA Riaz Fatiyana, on Monday said that he will soon visit Sindh and Balochistan to acquaint himself with the human rights issues and problems faced by the people of these provinces.
Talking to APP here on Monday, he said that he would specially focus his attention on the growing number of incidents of Karo-Kari (honour killings) and tribal feuds.
Fatiyana said that the he had recommended Ghulam Qadir Malkani from Thatta and Ameer Bakhsh Mahar from Sukkur to the Prime Minister to work as the provincial coordinator and the coordinating secretary of the Human Rights Task Force for Sindh, respectively.
He said that the relief package for the poor and pensioners indicated that more such measures would be taken by the government in the coming months.
Describing the move as being part of the government’s efforts to mitigate the problems of the common man, Riaz Fatiyana said that over 2.5 million families would be provided with an annual assistance of Rs2,500 each.
The federal government, he said, would disburse Rs5 billion under the package, which would be called ‘Prime Minister’s Falahi Programme.’
Criticizing the past government’s half-hearted efforts towards social welfare, Fatiyana said that over 40 per cent people of the country were living below the poverty line.
The PML-Q government, he said, believed in practical work instead of mere lip service, as had been the practice of successive government in the past.
He said that he had visited the earthquake-hit areas in the Northern Areas, adding that an initial report had been submitted to the prime minister for action regarding provision of financial help and quick rehabilitation of the victims.
PROTEST: A large number of people of the Hindu community blocked the National Highway near Deharki on Monday morning following an attempt of kidnapping of a trader, Kewal Mal, reports our Correspondent.
Kewal is the son-in-law of Gurdas Mal, a businessman who was kidnapped in Deharki two and half months back and has still not been recovered.
Traders of the area also observed shutter-down strike throughout the day.
Led by Deharki Hindu Panchayat president Shewak Ram, the protesters burnt tyres and pelted stones at vehicular traffic.
The traders called off their protest after Ghotki DPO Tashkeel Haider assured them the culprits would be arrested within two days.
Kewal was on the way to his shop from his house when armed men intercepted him. He offered resistance and the area people also came to his help by resorting to aerial firing.
The armed men fled, leaving behind Kewal.
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