Women and Children Stories
Gaps in implementation of anti-rape ordinances: PTI Senator-elect
February 27th, 2021; By Rehan Piracha and Ahmed Saeed; LAHORE; Speaking as a panelist on Voicepk.net’s webinar, PTI Senator-elect Barrister Ali Zafar admitted that there were gaps in the implementation of anti-rape ordinances, adding the government is in process of tabling a bill in consultation with opposition legislators and civil society.
Swat elders demand security forces vacate school and college buildings
February 27th, 2021; Bureau Report; SAWAT; The education of girls continues to be mired in difficulties in Swat as elders again demand government vacate buildings of institutions in use of security forces for the last 12 years.
Female aid workers express outrage at Waziristan killings
February 26th, 2021; Bureau Report; PESHAWAR; Female aid workers say they face violence in homes and are killed when they go out for work as protests express outrage at the killings of their four colleagues in North Waziristan.
Broken Hearts and Broken Hopes
February 24th, 2021; By Baseer Qalandar; NOWSHEHRA; Like Kasur’s Zainab, Khuzdar’s Amir Hamza, and Karachi’s Mawra, 8-yr-old Minahil from Nowshera too was raped and murdered. She is just one name out of the thousands of little children who have met gruesome deaths by their abusers.
Father of minor girl denies reports of marriage to JUIF MNA
February 24th, 2021; By Asra Haque; LAHORE; The father of the alleged 14-year-old bride of JUI-F MNA Maulana Salauddin Ayyubi denies reports that any such marriage took place in an affidavit to Chitral police
Finally, NA decides to ban corporal punishment
February 24th, 2021; By Hamid Riaz; LAHORE; "Besides petty politics, the passage of this bill was delayed due to certain interest groups belonging to ‘Private Schools’ & ‘Religious Seminaries’. But in the end, I am glad that we were able to reach a consensus,” says MNA Mehnaz.
President urges women to avail govt loan schemes
President Dr Arif Alvi has urged women in the country to take advantage of various loan schemes initiated by the federal government for their economic empowerment, regretting that only five percent of the funds available to female entrepreneurs have been availed due to lack of awareness.
Parliamentary panel recommends certificate for conversion
February 18th, 2021; By Rehan Piracha; LAHORE; As part of a proposed bill on prevention of forced conversion, a parliamentary panel has recommended that a legally adult person should be allowed to convert his/her religion following a certificate issued by a judge after a personal appearance.
Freed finally, but a little too late
February 17th,2021; By Ahmed Saeed & Shahrazad Agha; FAISALABAD; Farah Shaheen was returned to her parents after 6 months of repeated rape by abductors. But even as she returns, can this undo the fact that she was raped under the guise of religion?