KARACHI, April 13: Some 13 girl students from South Asia registered with the women studies programme of the Asr Institute of Women Studies, Lahore, have called for concerted efforts to end the discrimination women are exposed to across the region.

Speaking at a programme in the Karachi Press Club on Tuesday, they dispelled the misgivings regarding any enmity among the masses against each other. But at the same time, they called for measures to modify public attitude in the larger interest of the South Asian region.

On the occasion, Nighat Said Khan spoke on the courses initiated by the Asr Foundation in 1989 and that are continued to be organized annually. The precedent, she said, had served as a bridge between hostile neighbours in the following years.

According to her, constant contact was a prerequisite for a strong progressive region with countries concentrating more on social welfare and human development.

Prof Uma Chakravorty, associated with the history department of Jawahar Lal University, New Delhi, who is also a faculty member of the women studies programme of the Asr Institute, referred to the close links the countries have. She said all these had roots in one another.

Participants of the programme, who were mainly teachers and researchers, also spoke. Aznin from the Bangladesh Institute of Law, Indira Abeysekra associated with the Women Development Centre, an NGO in Sri Lanka, Aparana, a market researcher in Mumbai, Ananya, a PhD student at Jawahar Lal University, Hishanka, a lecturers at Peradeniyea University, Sri Lanka, Mah-Jabeen, lecturer at Mahnagar College, Dhaka, Ayesha and Naureen from Peshawar University, Sahar and Farwa from Sindh were among the course participants.

On the occasion, a film 'Paradise on a river hell', co-directed by Meenu Gaur, a filmmaker and faculty team member of the programme, was also screened reflecting the plight of Kashmiris as humans. The actual mind-set and traditions of Kashmiris was highlighted along with the impact of the tussle over the valley. - APP