Women lawmakers condemn Lahore gang-rape incident

PESHAWAR: Women legislators from the opposition benches in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Monday condemned the recent gang-rape of a woman on motorway near Lahore, asking the Punjab government to award exemplary punishment to the culprits.

Addressing a news conference at the Conference Room of the provincial assembly building, Pakistan People Party MPA Nighat Yasmin Orakzai condemned the statement of a senior official of the Punjab police about the motorway incident, terming it ‘cowardly response’ on the part of the Punjab police. She was flanked by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MPA Sobia Shahid and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam MPA Rehana Ismael and others.

The PPP woman lawmaker claimed that other opposition lawmakers, including the male MPAs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly had extended support to them while condemning the motorway incident and remarks of an official of Punjab police.

She criticised KP Assembly Deputy Speaker Mehmood Jan Khan’s attitude and rigid response the other day when the woman legislators from the opposition benches wanted to discuss the issue on the Assembly floor.

JUI’s Rehana Ismael said a policewoman was shot dead by armed men in the presence of about a dozen male cops in Nowshera last week but the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police had failed to arrest her killers. She asked the federal and provincial government to provide protection to women and innocent people. MPA Sobia Shahid said the Punjab government must resign for not providing protection and security to the masses.

She ridiculed the statement of the Punjab chief minister who claimed main accused involved in the motorway gang-rape case had fled. The women lawmakers stated that dupatta and bangles would be sent to the Lahore CCPO and Nowshera DPO.