SUKKUR: Leaders of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and religious minority groups on Saturday launched a campaign in Sukkur and Ghoti districts against forced and underage marriages and religious extremism.

From the platform of the Marvi Rural Development Organisation (MRDO), Falak Naz of PPP, Farah Baloch of PML-N and Eshwar Lal and Aapa Mumtaz of minority groups told a big gathering at the District Council Hall, Sukkur, that the campaign was aimed at protecting rural women from domestic violence, forced and underage marriages and excesses on religious grounds.

Special Assistant to the Chief Minister Dr Arshad Mughal told the audience that under a deep-rooted conspiracy, religious extremists were creating a rift between the Muslim and Hindu communities. He said all people of Sindh should join hands to foil the conspiracy and consolidate the religious harmony between the two communities.

He said PPP had always taken concrete measures to ensure constitutional rights of all minorities in the country. It had also enacted laws to protect women’s rights, he added.

He said laws existed against forced/underage marriages, domestic violence, child labour, bonded labour etc and the government was taking measures for their strict implementation.

He hoped that the newly launched movement would help it ensure peace and justice across the province.

MRDO project manager Shah Nawaz Chachar, Abdul Shakoor Mangi and Ghazala Anjum said that groups of 300 women and as many female youths were being formed to cover several hundred villages in Sukkur and Ghotki districts under the campaign to provide relief to rural women facing domestic violence, forced or underage marriages or death threats on any account.

The groups would work as peace committees and visit homes, schools, colleges and other public places to offer assistance to victims of such injustices.

They said the organisation had also planned seminars at union council level and resource centres to established in rural areas of the districts.

QAT rally

Qaumi Awami Tehrik activists took out a rally in Tangwani town of Kandhkot-Kashmore district on Saturday against increasing crime in Sindh and demanded concrete measures to ensure safety and security of citizens.

The rally, led by Ghulam Ali Dahani and Aijaz Bijarani, started from the local press club and ended at Tangwani bus stand, where the leaders spoke to the participants.

They said murders, kidnapping for ransom, robberies and other crimes had been on an increase but the government was doing nothing to arrest the culprits. They said the province had been left at the mercy of criminals.

Meanwhile, Tangwani police registered cases against 35 QAT workers, including Ghulam Ali Dahani, Aijaz Bijarani, Rab Dino Malik and Pir Bukhsh Noonari for creating hindrance in the discharge of official duties.

No arrests were, however, made.

Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2014