When violence is rewarded

LAHORE: A Sahiwal district leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), who was booked in an incident of violence against a female government servant, has been appointed on the women protection authority.

The FIR of the incident was lodged in late September this year and local PTI leader Naveed Aslam is on bail nowadays in the case of slapping a woman officer of the Pakistan Post. Ironically, the accused has been appointed the district coordinator of the Punjab Women Protection Authority (PWPA). The appointment of Naveed Aslam, PTI district information secretary, to the post was ordered by Kaneez Fatima Chadhar, the chairperson of the PWPA.

Recording their serious concern, several women and human rights activists criticized the move, saying it is a pity that a man who is involved in a crime against a woman has been given the task on the women protection authority. It may be noted that Aslam was booked by the local police for slapping and insulting Senior Female Postmaster Officer Sofia Qasim in the GPO on Sept 24, 2020. Soon after the incident, the police arrested the accused from the site of the incident but he got bail from a court the next day. Giving her reaction, Kaneez Fatima Chadhar insisted that she had no prior knowledge about the case against the accused. She hinted that the appointment could be reviewed.