GUJAR KHAN, March 8: The need of the hour is to repeal discriminatory laws and curb violence against women and enhance their role for national uplift.

This was said by MPA Farzana Raja who was speaking to a gathering of local women, organized by Women Association for Vocational Education (WAVE), an NGO, in connection with the International Women Day on Saturday.

She said the government should establish small industrial schemes in the rural areas to utilize the potential of women. She said Islam had given tremendous rights to women.

Study of Islamic history shows that great Muslim women played their role in trade as well as in wars against the infidels, she added.

She said in this part of the world, influence of Hindu culture gave birth to discriminatory customs and traditions that put the women in subjugation.

The MPA said she raised the issue of violence against women in the assembly and proposed setting up of special counters in police stations to lodge reports against such incidents.

She said the provincial law minister, Basharat Raja, had also been approached for the establishment of special committees to ensure transparent investigation of such incidents. She said the law minister accepted the proposal and passed the necessary instructions to the inspector general of police (IGP) Punjab.

Ms Raja said real emancipation of women was only possible if they were provided the opportunities of education and employment.

She urged upon the government to increase the job quota for women in government departments and also set up vocational centres at village level.

The president of WAVE, Shamsa Tabbassum, apprised the participants about the services being rendered by her association.

Meanwhile, Farzana Raja expressed her shock over the failure of the police to recover a married woman who had been missing for the last couple of months from Mandra.

The woman went missing on January 15 from her husband’s house.

Ms Farzana urged the police high-ups to probe into the matter and ensure early recovery of the woman.