KARACHI, Feb 14: A meeting was held here on Tuesday to discuss the problems being faced by women prisoners. Adviser to the CM on Finance M. A. Jalil was in the chair.

Justice (r) Nasir Aslam Zahid pin-pointed the problems and told the meeting that a committee had been set up with the cooperation of the CWWP and finance department which would work for the welfare of women prisoners.

The adviser appreciated the setting up of the committee as a good step forward and pledged full cooperation to it.

He said that the home department would send a summary to the finance department for providing a grant of Rs3 million to the committee. He said he would send the summary to chief minister for approval.

Provincial Minister for Women Development Saeeda Malik said that she would personally take the summary to the chief minister.

Mr Jalil noted that the committee would utilize the grant in establishing its offices in Sukkur, Larkana and Hyderabad.

He said that another summary would be sent to the chief minister with regard more grant for the committee to meet its annual expenditures.

Officials of the Decentralization Support Programme, at the meeting, offered provision of computers and furniture to the committee to enable it to streamline its working.

A workshop to deliberate upon the problems relating to women prisoners would be held soon, they added.

It was decided that the secretary, women development department, would be included in the committee for which the home department would issue a notification shortly.

Others who attended the meeting were Secretary Works and Services Faisal Saud, Secretary Women Development Subhan Memon, Special Secretary Finance Khusro Pervez, IG Prisons Brig Ayaz Wakil, Anwar Maqsood and Mrs Awan.—APP