KARACHI, July 9: Speakers at a demonstration demanded of the government to completely abolish the Hudood ordinances instead of making amendments.

The demonstration was jointly organised on Sunday by the women wing of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum and Actionaid, while representatives of a large number of NGOs including Aurat Foundation, Women Action Forum, Lyari Development Organisation Khairpur, and others participated.

Pointing out that the law, its interpretations and procedures were flawed in a number of crucial areas which resulted in the gross injustice to the marginalised sections of the society, so they demanded that Hudood ordinances, which were promulgated by a dictator be abolished and if any new law was needed it be made through the parliament.

They said that once a woman was accused of zina she stood stigmatized regardless of the subsequent acquittals, and apart from a couple of isolated women prisoners, the majority of them come from extremely disadvantaged sections of the society.

The speakers said that in many a cases women alleging rape had been arrested for rape and convicted of zina while the accused were given benefit of doubt and acquitted. They demanded that stern action be taken against the perpetrators of the violence against women so that the menace could be rooted out from the society. They demanded that such laws be formulated that guaranteed the equal status and opportunities as had been prescribed in the constitution.

They also demanded that women workers be paid equal wages to their male counterparts for doing the same work and that equal opportunities be made available to women.

A large number of demonstrators who belonged to fishing villages including Ibrahim Haidery, Rerhi, Chashma Goth, Gizri, Keamari, Hawkes bay, Shireen Jinnah Colony, Khadda, etc were chanting slogans in support of their demands and were also carrying banners with their demands written on them. Later, a play, highlighting women issues, was also staged by the PFF’s street theater group.