QUETTA, Jan 3: Effective efforts are needed for creating awareness about the importance of human rights and especially women's rights as first step to protect the rights and end their violation.

Islam accords equal rights for all and does not condone discrimination against women. Pakistan's Constitution also guarantees equal rights to women. These views were expressed by speakers at a one-day seminar organized by National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW), on 'discriminatory laws against women'.

The Chairperson of the NCSW, Justice (retd) Majida Razvi presided over the seminar while leader of opposition in the Balochistan Assembly Kachkol Ali, Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (RHCP) Tahir Mohammad Khan, members of the provincial assembly Akhtar Hussain Lango and Ms Samina Saeed delivered lectures.

Justice Majida Razvi underlined the need for reviewing laws, which are not in congruity with the Quran and Sunnah. She said that many existing laws regarding women needed improvement.

She said that the Commission was making efforts to repeal discriminatory laws against women and was also submitting its recommendations to the government on such laws. Focussing on the aims of the commission, she said that it was working for formulating better laws for women.

Leader of opposition in the Balochistan Assembly Kachkol Ali said that many existing laws were contrary to human rights and should be repealed. He said that in any country, laws were always made keeping in view prevailing social, political and cultural situation, adding that in Pakistan, laws only served the interests of others.

"Rulers exploit contradictions existing in the society while making laws, policies and strategies. Here, they ignore the country's basic needs," Kachkol Ali said. He said that it was necessary to separate state and religion for establishing an effective democracy. He said that people, especially women were not aware about their rights and there was a need to create public awareness in this regard.

"The supremacy of Constitution must be maintained and everyone should accept this," the opposition leader said. The Chairperson of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Tahir Mohammad Khan opposed the Hudood laws and said that these laws had been introduced to protect the interests of landlords and bureaucracy.

Mir Akhtar Hussain Lango MPA of the Balochistan National Party (Mengal group) said that a national debate on Hudood and other such laws should be held on public forums, including assemblies, to resolve the situation in this regard.