Islamabad, June 17 (IANS) As violence against women continues to rise in Pakistan, a women's rights movement, ‘Aurat March' staged a protest outside the Islamabad Press Club against the horrific incident of an acid attack on a female doctor at the Sandeman Civil Hospital in Balochistan’s capital, Quetta, local media reported on Wednesday.
Human rights activists, political leaders, and representatives of various social organisations joined the demonstration, expressing solidarity with the victim, doctor Mahnoor Nasir, while strongly condemning the rising violence against women in the country.
During the demonstration, prominent human rights activist and Aurat March leader, Farzana Bari, voiced grave concern over the prevailing situation in the country.
“Too many incidents of violence against women are surfacing each day, showing us that this country is becoming like a graveyard for women, and the state and state institutions are completely failing to provide protection to us,” Pakistan's digital media platform Voicepk.net quoted Bari as saying.
“We demand complete and proper medical treatment for Mahnoor. The police have killed the perpetrator, but I consider this to be unnecessary, as the police’s job is to arrest criminals while it is the job of the courts to sentence them. The patriarchal mindset has become so dangerous in Pakistan today that women are not safe in their homes, on the streets, or in their workplaces,” she added.
Alia Amir Ali, representing the Awami Workers Party (AWP) Marxist, criticised the brutal acid attack, saying, “We are here to raise our collective voice against the recent rise of gender-based violence and discrimination. Gender oppression and violence are linked to both class and national oppression. In a society where the tradition of ‘might is right’ is growing deeper, such rising incidents are a very dangerous sign.”
The incident occurred on June 6 in the surgical ward of Sandeman Civil Hospital in Quetta, where a lift operator, Humayun Shah, allegedly threw acid on Mahnoor Nasir, leaving her with severe injuries. She was given initial medical aid before being shifted to Karachi, where she is currently undergoing further treatment.
Following the incident, the Human Rights Council (HRC) of Pakistan strongly condemned the "barbaric and regrettable” incident and said, “A woman associated with such a sacred profession, engaged in serving humanity and saving lives, to be targeted with such brutal violence right at her workplace is not only a slap in the face to the medical community but also to the entire society and humanity.”
Describing the incident as the gravest security failure, the Council said that in any civilised society, such attacks on healthcare professionals cannot be tolerated, and it is the fundamental responsibility of the government and law enforcement agencies to guarantee full protection to medical staff, especially female doctors at sensitive places like hospitals.
--IANS
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