LARKANA: Eminent classic dance artist and social activist Sheema Kermani and her entourage staged a theatre, sponsored by the Legal Aid Society (LAS), at the Arts Council here on Monday.

The theme of the play was promotion of equal rights for men and women and specifically focused on the issues relating to girls’ underage and forced marriages.

Larkana Commissioner Ghanwar Leghari and Mayor Anwar Ali Nawaz Luhar were the guests of honour at the event.

Playing her role in the theatre, Kermani effectively disseminated the message loud and clear that underage marriages and those without the consent of proposed bride had become a serious crime punishable under the legislation made by the Sindh Assembly in 2013. In her dialogues, she warned that everyone found involved in marriages of boys and girls under the age of 18 could be penalised and jailed.

The other characters fully supported her in conveying the message to the members of the general public and creating awareness of the issue and relevant laws.

The script also contained dialogues stressing the need for the effective implementation of the laws.

In the dialogues, one character said the laws were there but no action was seen; and asked the other as to who was supposed to implement them. The answer came that obviously all stakeholders had the responsibility of making them effective in order to eradicate the ill from society.

The play made the audience to realise that feudal lords encouraged and promoted such customary marriages to maintain their control on the poor segments.

It strongly condemned the trend and called for putting it to an end once and for all.

Sheema Kermani also spoke to the media during her visit to the Larkana Press Club and highlighted women’s rights and

privileges under Muslim Family Law.

She said she had been staging a series of theatres, being organised by her Tehreek-i-Niswan, in far-flung areas across the country with the objective of ensuring equal rights for and treatment to male and female members of every family.

She said the Muslim family law strictly prohibited marriage of a girl/woman without her consent and also underage marriages. Violation of the law was giving birth to a host of serious issues, she pointed out.

Larkana Commissioner Ghanwar Leghari and Mayor Anwar Luhar appreciated Kermani’s relentless struggle in getting womenfolk their rights and assured her of all required facilities for Tehreek-i-Niswan programmes anywhere in the district.

Dr Inayat Magsi, a psychiatrist, Dr Sakina Gaad, principal of the Nurses Training Institute, Nag­hma Mazari, in-charge

of the Larkana Women Prote­ction Cell, and others also took part in a question-answer session. Before arriving in Larkana, Sheema Kermani and

her entourage held identical programmes in Naudero and several villages in the district.

Published in Dawn, July 18th, 2023