KARACHI, Feb 7: Various rights groups, political parties and civil society organisations jointly staged a demonstration outside the Karachi Press Club and marched towards the Governor’s House protesting against the gang-rape in District Ghotki and a surge in violence against women.

The representatives of Aurat Foundation, Women Action Forum, Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child, leaders of Pakistan Peoples Party, Pakistan Muslim League PML-N, Awami Tehrik and other political parties and social organisations participated in the demo.

Holding placards and banners inscribed with slogans against the Ghotki incident, the stoning to death of a couple in Multan and other incidents involving assaults on the womenfolk, they chanted slogans against the administrative and police authorities for their inaction in arresting the culprits. They also asked the government to take action against the officials providing shelter to the culprits.

The protestors then marched towards the Governor’s House and gathered outside its main gate demanding a meeting with the governor to apprise him of the gravity of the situation.

According to the organisers, they were told by the officials that the governor could not meet the protestors but instead three of them could see the secretary to the governor for formal registration of the complaint. However, the protesters refused to meet the secretary and staged a sit-in for half-an-hour.

MPA Sassui Palijo of PPP, Iqbal Haider of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Anis Haroon of Aurat Foundation, Akhtar Hussain Baloch of Sparc, Sorath Thebo of PML-N, Noorunnisa Palijo of Sindhiani Tehrik and others attended the demonstration.

In their speeches, the leaders said the government had failed to provide protection to women despite promulgation of the Women’s Protection Act. They asked the government to take effective measures and ensure that such atrocities were brought to an end.

The speakers said there was a need for the judicial institutions and courts to take on the evil to get the rate of such atrocities adown.

“These heart bleeding incidents are on the rise due to shelter and protection which is provided to the influential people,” said one speaker.

They said the society was being pushed to the age of slavery through pre-planned intentions by the vested interests.

An Aurat Foundation spokesman said they together with other NGOs would stage a sit-in outside the Governor’s House on Thursday and would continue their protest until the governor assure them of the prompt action to ensure protection to the vulnerable segment of society and arrest those involved in such criminal acts.