ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court took notice on Wednesday of instances of abuse of women in Sindh and summoned reports from the provincial police.

Chief Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk fixed the matter for hearing in the second week of May and directed Advocate General of Sindh Fateh Malik, the inspector general of police and Chairperson of the National Commission on Status of Women Khawar Mumtaz to appear before the court.

The notice was taken on a column titled “Sindh ki khawateen say insaaf – qaumi tarjeeh nahi” (Justice to the women of Sindh is not a national priority), appeared in a section of the press on April 9.

Also read: Sindh records 421 cases of violence against women in three months

The column highlighted an incident in which a woman and her 12-year-old daughter were gang-raped and later set on fire in Ghotki a few weeks ago. The girl died while her mother suffered serious burn injuries. The accused are still at large.

The column mentioned another incident in which a newly married woman, Tahira Khoso, was killed by her husband in Jacobabad district in the name of honour. The husband has been provided shelter allegedly by a political leader in Balochistan.

Taking cognisance of the issue, the chief justice ordered that reports be called from the SSPs concerned through the Sindh IGP within three days. The NCSW chairperson has been asked to submit reports on the status of women and the incidents highlighted in the column and also provide statistical data of such cases in the country and the measures taken to curb them.

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2015

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