KARACHI: The Board of Trustees Transparency International Pakistan held a Board meeting on Tuesday, and expressed grave concern over the alarming increase in violence against women, due to the inept response from the state.

The Board expressed its deepest shock and condemned the reprehensible attack on woman at Minar-e-Pakistan, Lahore on 14th August 2021 and similar such attacks on women occurred in last one month.

Former Justice Nasira Iqbal, Vice-Chairperson TI Pakistan highlighted that Quaid-e-Azam envisioned a Pakistan where women can stand shoulder to shoulder with man, but we have failed. Pakistani women feel lack of security and are subjected to deplorable discrimination in different walks of lives. She argued that for Pakistan to emerge as a prosperous nation, it is imperative that we safeguard the rights of women, provide them protection and put in place strong laws to hold those responsible for attacks on women, accountable.

Yasmeen Lari, Chairperson TI Pakistan highlighted that this should be a test case for the current government and our criminal justice system. So far majority of the perpetrators of the attack on woman at Minar-e-Pakistan, Lahore roam-free and are not traced and apprehended. The state must ensure expedited justice to the victim and put in place stringent measures in line with our international commitments ratified under UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 18, 1979, which is the only way to counter the increasing attacks and violence against women in Pakistan.—PR

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021