KARACHI, Jan 7: Non-governmental organizations have expressed concern over the inclusion of Irfanullah Marwat in the Sindh cabinet and have demanded that he be dropped from the government and the pending rape case against him be decided soon.

At a meeting on Tuesday, the NGOs said: “Mr Marwat was one of the major offenders in a gang-rape in which Veena Hayat was raped, in 1991, at her residence. Ms Hayat was subjected to severed torture and physical abuse by five armed men, including Irfan Marwat.”

“Ms Hayat had accused Mr Marwat of the offence. Mr Marwat was then adviser on home affairs in the Jam Sadiq Ali ministry,” the NGOs said.

The meeting was of the view that “since the gang-rape case is still pending in court against Mr Marwat, his inclusion in the Sindh cabinet shows that the government has no respect for women’s rights and human rights.”

“The incidents of systematic violence against women will further increase when perpetrators of violence are rewarded with ministries and cabinet posts. Mr Marwat’s inclusion in the provincial cabinet is a shameful act.

“Ms Hayat has named Irfan Marwat as the main culprit and perpetrator of the incident who, with other men, entered her house and raped her and later during the investigations and inquiries conducted by a commission it was established that he was involved in the rape of Veena Hayat.

“Mr Marwat had been released on bail, but since the case is still pending, he remains a culprit. He, therefore, should not be appointed to any public office. The case, which has been pending for more than 11 years, should be decided immediately,” the NGOs said.

NGOs, including the Women Action Forum, War Against Rape, Aurat Foundation, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Shirkat Gah, attended the meeting. The meeting demanded of the government to finalize the case and ensure punishment to those responsible for perpetrating the crime.

The meeting also expressed concern over the increasing incidents of karo-kari in the province as more than 382 people had been killed under that pretext during 2002, which was an alarming sign of violence against women.