MITHI: Speaking as chief guest at a seminar on ‘Current food insecurity situation and lives of women artisans’ organised by some non-governmental organisations here on Wednesday, Sindh Minister for Women Welfare Rubina Qaimkhani said that display centres at proper places were being set up by the government to encourage and promote women artisans from Thar.

She said women formed more than half the population of Thar and many of them possessed skills in embroidery and handicrafts. She said they must be encouraged to market their handicrafts and earn substantially to improve their standard of life.

She admitted that no proper marketing facilities had been made available to these women in the past. However, she added, the government was not taking steps to promote their craftsmanship.

She also urged the relevant NGOs to play their due role in this regard.

Ms Qaimkhani said that the government was also taking measures to provide better health facilities to the people of Thar, especially women and children. She advised Thari mothers to ensure proper education of their children.

Nuzhat Sheerin, Apa Kamla Poonam, Dr Ashok Bakhtani, Narumal and others also spoke at the seminar, which was attended by a large number of Thari women artisans and social workers.

Protest held

Residents of Sadharo Sameja village of Chhachhro tehsil on Wednesday staged a sit-in outside the local press club against alleged misappropriation and unfair distribution of relief wheat in their area.

The protesters told journalists that local officials had misappropriated wheat meant for more than 100 families and made fake entries in the record.

They claimed that they repeatedly complained to the deputy commissioner and other officials concerned about the matter but to no avail.

Published in Dawn, November 27th, 2014