April 13, 2008	Sunday	Rabi-us-Sani 6, 1429

KARACHI, April 12: Federal Minister for Law Farooq H. Naek has said that all steps would be taken to curb violations of human rights and eliminate gender-based discrimination.

He was talking to journalists at the regional office of the director of human rights wing here on Saturday. “We condemn all types of violations of the rights of women, prisoners and minorities,” he said, and held out the assurance that that the working of the human rights ministry would be improved.

The minister observed that most of the human rights violations appeared to be in the cases of rape in which the victim suffered one ordeal after the other at the hands of various people.

He also pointed out that many cases of crimes like theft were never reported. Nor did the police bother about such incidents, thus leaving the victims helpless. He said he had some proposals prepared for ensuring payment of compensation to the victims through the non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

He said that the law ministry would also look into the possibility of providing concession of bail to women accused of some crime and arrested while they were pregnant or had a suckling child.

He said that Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto had worked hard in her life for women’s rights and the PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari also wanted to provide relief to the masses, strengthen democracy and establish the rule of law in the country.—APP