Pakistan: 4 million women in Karachi deprived of rights, working as contractual workers

With Pakistan’s Global Gender Gap Index worsening over time, Jamat-e-Islami (JI) Chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman on Sunday revealed that nearly four million women in Karachi were working in factories on a contract basis, devoid of basic rights and necessities. While addressing a women’s convention in Karachi, Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman stated that mothers, sisters, and daughters of Karachi are deprived of basic amenities and added that nothing was changing on the ground despite 'seminars' being held for women’s rights from time to time.

Highlighting Karachi’s worsening condition in regards to women, Rehman said that JI was the 'only hope' for 35 million people living in the city and asserted that when in power, the party would respect and solve the issues of women, reported The Express Tribune.

Jamat-e-Islami flags corruption, poor living conditions in city

Discussing the general living conditions of the city, the JI leader stated that while Karachi is running Pakistan's entire economy, it is infested with the menace of corruption and looting un the hands of the few. He also lamented the lack of an effective transportation system and the rise in street crimes in the city which he said were on a spike due to poor governance by the provincial authorities.

According to the data of the Karachi police, over 1600 motorcycles were snatched or stolen in the city during the holy month of Ramzan. In addition, over 1800 mobile phones and 121 four-wheelers were also stolen. Moreover, seven citizens were killed while 43 others got injured during street crime incidents in the metropolitan. In a bid to address the law and order issue, the police are gearing up to put the suspects under electronic monitoring and have prepared a draft law for e-tagging of street criminals, Pakistan media reported. 

Notably, Karachi's deteriorating state of living is not only limited to local street crimes. The city was rocked by a terror attack in April after four persons including 3 Chinese nations were killed in a car explosion inside the premises of the University of Pakistan in Karachi. The blast occurred in a van near Confucius Institute -- a Chinese language teaching Centre at Karachi University. A terrorist organization named Balochistan Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attack and released a photo of a woman, claiming she was the female suicide bomber.

(With agency inputs)