August 01, 2008	Friday	Rajab 28, 1429

HYDERABAD, July 31: The government plans to establish women crisis centres in each district of the province and create awareness among masses regarding their rights and against honour killings, said Sindh Women Development Minister Tauqeer Fatima Bhutto.

She told this to journalists at the Women Crisis Centre, Saddar on Tuesday. The centre is being run by the federal government.

Incidents of honour killing point towards kindling knowledge, especially among men, of the rights of women she said emphasizing that they should respect them as women are their mothers, daughters, sisters, and wives.

She advised men killing their female family members to get medically treated as this act was a mental disorder.

Appreciating efforts of the Centre’s Managing Committee, she desired the rescue teams to reach each and every distressed woman.

She expressed the determination of setting up soon such centres in districts like Kashmor and Ghotki as they were the hotbeds of tribal customs like honour killings. She hoped these centres to work as reformatories.

She called on creating awareness among women folk of their rights in the civil society for redressing such issues.

She disclosed that Rs7.1 million had been provided by her ministry to facilitate release of interned women and juvenile offenders and promised to help activate teams of these centres.