HYDERABAD: A joint meeting of various rights organisations held under the aegis of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) at local press club on Friday formed joint action committee (JAC) against rising extremism and fundamentalism in society.

HRCP’s adviser Imdad Chandio said that a strong platform was needed for protecting fundamental human rights. This was the only way to achieve basic human rights, he said.

Suleman G. Abro, an NGO representative, said that all civil society representatives needed to be part of a joint platform for promoting enlightenment and building a just society. This joint action committee being formed would be made a powerful forum, he said.

Women Action Forum (WAF) activist Dr Arfana Mallah said that freedom of expression and human rights had been intentionally snatched in this society. Women’s and oppressed peoples’ voices were stifled and they felt suffocated in society, she said, adding that all organisations and progressive forces must be part of a joint platform.

WAF activist Amar Sindhu pointed out that incidents like Jan Mohammad Mahar and Fatima Furiro murders proved that journalists and women were not safe in this society. She called for a unified struggle by Hyderabad’s civil society across Sindh.

Prof Abdul Majeed Chandio said that extremism had increased in society and tyranny should be collectively resisted.

Hyderabad Union of Journalists (Afzal Butt) president Iqbal Mallah said that struggle for fundamental rights must be powerful.

The meeting condemned Ichhra market incident in Lahore where a woman was harassed for wearing dress with Arabic words printed on it and termed it anti-woman behaviour.

It also condemned delay in the arrest of culprits in Mahar murder case, which proved that they were more powerful than the government, it said.

It deplored delay in handing down punishment in Fatima case and demanded protection to female polio workers and transgender persons. It said the government was not serious in resolving problems of the differently-abled people.

Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2024