HYDERABAD: In an atte­mpt to spread awareness about women rights in Sindh, the provincial women development depart­ment in collaboration with non-governmental organisa­tions (NGOs) has planned a 16-day campaign from Nov 25 to Dec 10.

Addressing a press conference held at the local press club on Friday, Sindh Minis­ter for Women Development Shehla Raza said society could not be uplifted without women’s development; med­ia should come forward and play its vital role in ensuring women’s rights.

The drive was aimed at creating and spreading aware­ness among communities about women’s rights related to inheritance, family court matters, underage or child marriages, harassment, domestic violence, breast cancer, honour killings etc.

Some memorandums of understanding (MoUs) were also inked, she said, adding that various programmes, workshops and seminars would be organised to promote and protect women’s rights among the masses.

She said media and people should participate in it and make the drive successful.

She said her ministry was working with the UN and civil society organisations for women development in all divisions of Sindh.

In the developed countries, government departments also worked with NGOs and Sindh women dev­elopment department was also working with NGOs.

She said the women suffering from breast cancer would be given free-of-cost medical treatment. She asked for bringing about a change in the entire society as poverty bred all evils, including early and child marriages.

Condemning blasts in Karachi and Orakzai, she said that if the federal government properly implemented the National Action Plan (NAP), the situation would have been different.

She said the opposition must support the government to focus on restoration of peace.

Such kind of blasts was alarming as Afghan Taliban and the US were holding parleys in Qatar while Pak­is­tan was being attacked, she added.

She said that both federal and provincial governments should ponder over the action plan again as the blasts in the business hub of the country, Karachi, were spreading panic. She said that recent blasts in Karachi were a conspiracy to vitiate peace of the city.

She said corruption was the problem of the whole country, but PPP leaders were being victimised without any evidence.

She said that oil, gas and electricity tariffs skyrocketed while they were low under the PPP-led federal government. She said that during the 100-day plan, new taxes were imposed on the poor masses.

She predicted that dollar would go up to Rs150 in comparison with rupee in the days to come.

She said the PML-N and PPP were not on the same page over many issues.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2018