Rawalpindi-Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Rawalpindi Division, Tariq Salam Marwat, said that government under the directions of Chief Minister (CM) Mian Shahbaz Sharif is committed to protecting the rights of women.

He said that Punjab Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) has also established its set ups at divisional level to receive complaints against violation of laws.

He directed the heads of government departments and other organizations to strictly implement laws for the protection of women and ensure proper facilities for women employees in their departments.

He said this at a press briefing attended by a large numbers of female representatives of NGOs, at Commissioner Office here on Monday. He was flanked by PML-N MPA Tehsin Fawad and PCSW Coordinator Qaiser Mehmood Rana.

ADC Tariq Salam said that government is striving to enforce the laws promulgated by Provincial Assembly to protect women at their work places. He stressed on the cooperation of media for implementing these laws. Adding that the government has started collecting data about female workers in various departments to protect them from work-place harassment, he said that the government would soon establish Gender Based Violence Courts in the city for dispensing speedy justice.

Speaking on the occasion, MPA Tehsin Fawad said that it is our religious and moral obligation to give respect to women in all spheres of life. She stressed on the punishment of those who commit domestic violence against women. She informed that any such complaints could be lodged at toll free number of PCSW 1043. She asked media persons to play their role in highlighting crimes against women violence, creating awareness of sexual harassment, domestic violence and immoral attitude besides educating masses about the laws promulgated by Punjab Assembly to protect women rights.

Coordinator PCSW Qaiser Mehmood Rana briefed media persons about the mechanism of evolve to receive the complaints against women violence and the procedure which has been adapted to process such complaints. He informed that awareness activities were being conducted to educate people, especially women as well as heads of government departments, to ensure appropriate implementation of women protection laws in letter and spirit. Rana informed that 2000 complaints against murder, women harassment, acid throwing, etc. had so far been received in Rawalpindi division which had been properly processed. After taking legal action, 48 applications were disposed off accordingly. Of 48, four complaints were about women whose dead bodies were found packed in sacks in limits of Police Stations Airport and Taxila.

A victim of domestic violence, named Noshin Asim turned up before ADC Tariq Salam during media briefing and registered a protest against those allegedly involved in her character assassination. She told ADC that she has been running a beauty parlour at Range Road while Dr Adnan, along with his wife Naila Adnan and two servants Hamesh and Azim have been involved in a character assassination campaign against her. She told ADC that the culprits had pasted posters in the locality accusing her of running a brothel house in cover of a beauty parlour. She told that the accused had also threatened to kill her 12 year old daughter. Noshin lamented that she registered a case against the accused with Police Station Westridge, but the police were protecting the culprits instead of arresting them. ADC assured her of full cooperation.