Sindh Minister for Human Rights Nadia Gabol said that a total of 14,929 cases of human rights violations were registered in the province in 2011, with majority of 9562 cases in Karachi, followed by 992 in Hyderabad. In a statement issued on the eve of World Human Rights Day on Friday, she said a stronghold of feudal system in the interior Sindh compel victims to stay quiet over reasons of being killed.
In order to garner correct statistics of human rights violations, she said, a proposal for formation of scheme named 'Data Bank for Human Rights' had been submitted to the Sindh Government. It is a dire need of the hour to spread awareness of human rights among people, she added.
She said the HR department Sindh has also formed toll free helpline 0800-00011, where people can lodge their complaints. Minister said DNA test laboratory was also being established at the Civil Hospital Karachi to swiftly investigate the cases of physical abuse. Nadia Gabol regretted that honour killings (Karokari), exchange marriages, physical torture, underage marriages and women abduction cases were rapidly being increased mainly due to tribal and non-religious traditions.
Gabol said various programmes pertaining to raise awareness of human rights of 2012 in Sindh were afoot, adding that the role of media and NGOs would be vital in the forthcoming campaigns. The violations of human rights will continue to take place until poverty, inflation and lawlessness were eradicated from the society.