April 11, 2006	Tuesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 12, 1427

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SUKKUR, April 10: Speakers at a seminar held here on Monday against karo-kari called upon the masses to join hands to eradicate the unjust and un-Islamic tradition from the country, which had claimed thousands of innocent lives in the name of honour.

The seminar was held at a local college on Monday, under the auspicious of the Society for Promotion of Civic Sense and Marvi Rural Development Organization, with the cooperation of Oxfam, Hyderabad chapter.

Addressing the seminar, speakers said that sincere efforts were under way since last the two decades, to get rid of this black custom and, in this connection, the National Assembly and the Senate have amended the bill on October 26, 2004 and December 7, 2004, respectively, according to which any person involved in a murder related to the honour killing would be awarded death penalty or life imprisonment.

Referring to the six monthly report of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan from January to June 2004, the speakers said that during the period 152 incidents of honour killings took place in the province in which 142 women and six men were killed.

They called upon the people especially politicians, clerics, lawyers and others to raise voice against this un-Islamic and unjust tradition of karo-kari.

They were of the view that religious leaders could play an important role in the eradication of this menace as they could use mosques for the purpose.

They further urged upon the parliamentarians to clearly express their point of view before the masses, and try to get support in this connection from the respective platforms of their parties.

They also urged upon them to ensure that no law was being violated in their respective constituency.

Earlier, participants took out a protest rally from the city point, Sukkur which, after marching on the main thoroughfares, reached at the venue of the seminar.

The participants were carrying placards and banners and were chanting slogans against karo-kari.

PPP MNA Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah, District Nazim Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, former District Nazim of Khairpur Ms Nafisa Shah, the taluka nazim of Pano Akil, Shahnawaz Mahar, Rohri taluka Nazim Aslam Shaikh and Shabbir Shar, advocate, spoke on the occasion.