February 12, 2008	Tuesday	Safar 04 ,1429

KARACHI, Feb 11: Various civil society organisations on Monday took exception to the allegations reportedly levelled by MQM chief Altaf Hussain and City Nazim Mustafa Kamal that they were not interested in highlighting the issue of abuse of women in the aftermath of the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto on Dec 27, 2007.

In an open letter to the MQM leaders, the Women Action Forum, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Aurat Foundation, Roots and Shirkat Gah said they were extremely disturbed about “recent attacks against their integrity and activism”.

Terming the “rumours” about violence against some women as unsubstantiated and then politically exploited by vested interests, the letter said: “The unproven rumours about the abuse of women after Dec 27 in Sindh and MQM leaders’ accusations that women’s organisations were disinterested on the issue were taken in an attempt to inflame ethnic tensions and political gain.”

The letter said the organizations were committed that they would search for those who had been abused. However, to cast aspersions on the commitment of women’s organisations was condemnable.