KARACHI, April 8: The Sindh Assembly was on Thursday informed that the government was taking steps to curb crime against women by spreading awareness. Minister for Women Development Dr Saeeda Malik, in her written reply to questions raised by Ms Nasreen Chandio of PPP , said that seminars, workshops and other events were being organized for the purpose.

Ms Chandio's questions pertained to the murders of Ms Shamim, Ms Nooran and Ms Lalan of Daharki, Ms Ameeran of Garhi Khairo and Ms Shimal of Rohri, all of whom had been killed under Karo-kari custom. She also wanted to know about any step being taken in this regard.

Ms Chandio's questions included one pertaining to an incident in Thatta where a woman's head was shaved off. She had also sought details of a six-year-old girl, Babra's marriage with a land-owner for a loan of Rs40,000 on Oct 3, 2003.

Dr Saeeda Malik replied that the cases, as indicated in the questions, were purely concerned to the Home Department. However, she added, the Women Development Department was playing its role as catalyst for curbing crime against women. Seminars, workshops and other such events were being organized at grass-roots level for the purpose, she added.

The department, she said, was helping in the establishment of women complaint cell at the women police station, Artillery Maidan, in Karachi. She made mentioned of diagnosis, identification of on-ground living conditions and the problems being faced by women prisoners, and pointed out that frequent personal visits to women jails were being under taken.

The minister also informed the house that the process of setting up Special Women Committees in the fields of 'Legal Empowerment of Women' and 'Violence Against Women' was under way.

She said that 20 women development legal empowerment cells in six towns of Karachi and 14 at district level in Sindh were being established. Almost similar reply was given to Ms Sharafun Nisa who had asked for district-wise details of works/projects for the betterment and welfare of women during the period from Dec 30, 2002 to Dec 15, 2003.