ISLAMABAD: The upper house of the Parliament Wednesday unanimously passed a resolution calling upon the government to not compromise on the rights of women and minorities in the negotiations with Taliban.

The resolution was moved by Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Senator Nasreen Jalil. She urged the government to constitute a commission for protection of women to resist illegal orders of jirgas.

Ancient traditions like Sawara, Wani and marrying girls with Quran through tribal jirgas are common in Pakistan as government data shows that these are on the rise.

Nine cases of Sawara were registered in Swat alone in 2013, up from just one in 2012. Rights groups say the true number is much higher.

DNA test report as an evidence in rape cases was also recommended in the resolution. However, it was excluded upon consultation in the house.

Pakistan ranks as the world’s second-worst country in terms of the division of resources and opportunities between male and female populations according to The Global Gender Gap Report 2013, published by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with faculty at Harvard University and the University of California, Berkeley.

The study assessed 136 countries, representing more than 93 per cent of the world’s population.