The government is preparing to introduce a bill in the Sindh Assembly against Karo-Kari to effectively curb this crime which has gained notoriety in most part of the province and in the country.
This was stated in Sindh Assembly by Minister for Population Welfare, Imtiaz Ahmed Sheikh, on a point of order raised by Humaira Almani regarding a 17-year girl declared as Kari by a jirga at Gambat.
The session, which began here on Tuesday, was marred by frequent points of order, cross talk and altercations among the opposition and the treasury. Speaker Muzaffar Hussain Shah was in the chair.
Almani said that the girl was under threat of death and needed protection, and asked how long this practice would be allowed to continue by the government.
The Provincial Minister for Women Development, Dr Saeeda Malik, said that the government had taken measures to check crime against women. She said that Karo Kari was not only an issue for the opposition to be worried about, the government was also equally concerned about it.
She said that she had talked to the IGP Sindh on this issue and appropriate measures were being taken to protect the girl.
She said that to facilitate women in filing complaints a 'complaint centre' had been set up at the Artillery Maidan Women Police Station.
The centre, she said, would attend to the needs of women wronged.
She assured the House that the Gambat girl would be provided complete protection.
The Speaker for a brief period asked deputy speaker Rahila Tiwana to conduct the proceedings of the House.
As soon as she occupied the chair, MMA members protested against her and staged a walkout. However, surprisingly, PPP members did not take part in the walkout.
As long as Rahila was in the chair her entire effort was to bring the House to order, which did not work.
She adjourned the session to meet again on Wednesday at 9:30 am.