July 25, 2007	Wednesday	Rajab 09, 1428

SIALKOT, July 24: Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Sialkot have formed a network to fight against violence on women. All CSO representatives met on Tuesday at a consultation hosted by Baidarie, a non-government organisation.

They decided all CSOs will meet once a month to discuss the situation of human and women rights, plan strategies to raise awareness among the public and develop community support mechanisms. The network will also provide relief and rehabilitation recourses to survivors of rights violations in collaboration with government departments.

Zaman Khan from the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan urged the network to favour those who had no means to bring their grievances to the knowledge of opinion and decision makers in state and society.

Prof Arshad Mehmood Mirza, Baidarie coordinator, asked CSOs to bring about a change in the behaviour of public so that society is cleansed of intolerance, extremism, terror and violence.

Hina Noureen, Baidarie president, said over 150 cases of violence on women had been reported by Baidarie officials in Sialkot in a short span of time.