April 11, 2008	Friday	Rabi-us-Sani 4, 1429

KARACHI, April 10: The Women’s Action Forum, Karachi, has condemned statements made by some senior politicians suggesting that dozens of women were raped during Wednesday’s violence in the city, says a statement.

The WAF has recalled that unsubstantiated claims had also been made by certain quarters in the aftermath of the Dec 27 violence.

The statement said that in December, the WAF had mobilised partners in civil society to investigate these cases and mobilised assistance for these alleged victims, only to find that the reports were false and neither were any survivors brought forward by the claimants.

The WAF said that such false allegations of sexual violence only discredited authentic rape survivors and made it harder for the activists to pursue the large issue of sexual violence against women.

It proposed formation of a committee whereby women activists meet, support and jointly seek justice for these survivors.—Staff Reporter