KARACHI, Sept 19: Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad has said that the methodology used to curb honour crime and address the issue with the help of an advisory committee is indeed very effective to reach the masses.

Addressing the national conference on the topic of “Honour killing: religious and traditional misinterpretations” on Tuesday, the governor appreciated the advisory committee of the honour killing project running this campaign in rural Sindh and southern Punjab.British Deputy High Commissioner Hamish Daniel, Justice (Rtd) Nasir Aslam Zahid, Marcus Gilbert, Samina Khan and others were also present on the occasion.

The governor noted that street theatre and media had been the key components by which the project had engaged the attention of millions of people and tried to create a strong body of public opinion condemning honour killing.

He said that people came to realise through the campaign that honour killing was a result of misinterpretation of religion and traditions. The advisory committee hence decided to engage Islamic jurists and religious scholars. To bring such a diverse group of religious thoughts and ideologies on a single platform was remarkable, he observed and said that the advisory committee under the leadership of Dr Hameeda Khuhro and Justice (R) Nasir Aslam Zahid deserved appreciation for their work.

“This also proves that no matter how much differences we may have, serious national issues can be tackled if discussed and debated appropriately in a positive way and mutual solutions can be found out in an amicable manner,” he said.

He expressed hope that this forum and the communique and recommendations highlighted through its three-day efforts would make a difference. “Together we will be able to bring about the change in the legislation, in winning the support which is vital for the required change this conference is aiming at,” he said.

The governor thanked the advisory committee and all those who helped to bring this social evil to the forefront by not only organising this conference but also inviting the relevant spokespersons from the UK.—APP