By Nazir Siyal

DNA

KARACHI: Awaz Foundation Pakistan (AFP) and 48 Ujala Partners across Pakistan among Mehran Welfare Trust (MWT) Larkana highly appreciated recent verdict of Lahore High Court regarding two finger testing of the victims of sexual violence.The judgement has termed the test as illegal and unconstitutional making it an important step on the way to realizing women rights in the country.We are also thankful to the diverse group of petitioners, who challenged the virginity test of the rape survivors and proved that the method is unscientific with no medical basis.

The virginity testing is carried out as part of the medico-legal examination in cases of rape and sexual abuse.It essentially comprises of the two finger test and the hymen test, The justification for both tests is to establish whether the victim is sexually active.The petitioners proved that it is irrelevant for the charge of rape or sexual abuse, particularly after the omission of Section 151 (4) of the Qanun-e-Shahadat Order, 1984 (QSO) under the Criminal Law(Amendment) (Offences Relating to Rape) Act, 2016 (Amendment Act, 2016).

According to the judgement, the practice of conducting two finger test is against the right to life and right to dignity as described in Article 9 and 14 of the Constitution, and that it offends the personal dignity of the female rape survivors.Moreover, anti-rape (Investigation and Trial) Ordinance 2020 also strictly prohibited this test during medico legal examination of a victim.

Mr. Zia ur Rehman-Chief Executive-Awaz CDS Pakistan on behalf of Ujala Network and our 48 partners across Pakistan appreciated the landmark judgement of Justice Ayesha Malik and further said while social norms pertaining to acceptable behaviour will not change overnight, the criminal justice system has an obligation to institute gender-sensitive mechanisms that provide adequate redress to victims without subjecting them to additional violations of their privacy and dignity. But for the rest of us, let’s not forget that this is the tip of iceberg.

The decision is appraisable, however, calls for further actions on part of the provincial government to formulate appropriate protocols for medical examination of the rape victims. The protocols and SOPs need to be in line with international practices. While, there is need to conduct regular training and awareness raising programmes among the Police officers, Medical officers and general public particularly women about their right to life and dignity andthat virginity tests have no clinical or forensic value.

Awaz Foundation Pakistan has been raising voice against sexual violence against women and children. We are an independent non-governmental organization; follow rights based approach to raise voices for creating rightful spaces and choices of life for allparticularly marginalized segments including women, children and young people since 1995 statement said.

DNA

ISLAMABAD, JAN 9: The 19th Young Leaders Conference came to an end with the final day held in the last week of December amongst much fanfare. The conference proved to be another success hosted by the School of Leadership, with special programs and activities to inspire and empower the participating youth.

The 19th Young Leaders Conference was held with strict SOPs, following all the necessary precautions. The organizing committee carefully monitored the event to ensure the safety of the participants, organizers, and guests. Following this year’s theme of ‘Breakthrough,’ the six days and five night’s conference welcomed various speakers and mentors from all walks of life to inspire the youth to break through the confines and go after what they want.

The first day was kicked off by the School of Leadership’s Founding member Kamran Rizvi, and Aaminah Saeed – the GM Marketing EBM. The six-day residential program brought together 20 participants from all across Pakistan, rather than 300 students like every year, in light of the social distancing measures. The 19th YLC saw energy, vitality, and excitement, with prominent personalities from various sectors of business, government, and private companies mentoring and training the youth every day through various activities.

Some of the notable speakers from this year’s program included Mubashir Zaidi, Justice Nasira Iqbal, Waleed Iqbal, JavedJabbar, Arfah Karim, Shabbar Zaidi, Raza Rumi, SheemaKirmani, ShandanaGulzar, Bee Gul, Umair Jaliawala, Waqar Ali, and others.

An introduction to Social Action Projects (SAP) was the last day’s theme and was moderated by SorathKalpnaGianchandani and Rameez Khalil. Through these SAPs, the participants will now work as the change-makers and will give back to society.

This year’s conference was sponsored by the Founding Partner English Biscuit Manufacturers, and Cause Partners FNF and KIA Motors, British Council, Marie Stopes Society, KFC, Viper, Hubco, IBEX. The Jang Group was the official media partner, Suno FM 89.4 the Official Radio Partner for the conference, while Double Click Pvt Ltd. served as the PR partner.

ISLAMABAD, JAN 9 (DNA) – The schedule for the annual elections of Journalists Association of Pakistan for 2021-22 has been announced. In the first phase, the election of central office bearers will be carried out.

Founder Chairman S. A.  Sehbai is in office for life while applications for election of Central President Senior Vice Presidents, Secretary General, Finance Secretary, Joint Secretary, Broadcasting Secretary and members of Governing Bodies will be received till January 20.  Requests from internationally qualified Pakistani anchor persons, intellectuals, columnists and editors will be accepted for key officials and members of the governing bodies.

In the second phase, applications will be received from eminent working journalists, anchors, intellectuals, columnists and editors from all five provinces of Pakistan including Azad Jammu and Kashmir.  Will be collected and the membership process will be expedited at the international level.

Chairman of the Journalists Association of Pakistan S.  A.  Sehbai asked Dr. Shahid Masood, Patron General of the Journalists Association of Pakistan, and Mubashir Luqman, Leading Journalist in charge of JAP, Governing Body in charge of Central and Provincial Leadership Elections and Membership for the election of Central Officials and Governing Bodies.

Guidance and full interest is requested for a successful election process.  Dr. Shahid Masood Mubashir Luqman and S.S.  A.  Contact Sehbai. Final decision After mutual consultation, Chairman of Cherylists Association of Pakistan S.  A.  It will belong to Sehbai.

Leading Pakistani journalists (men and women) from all over the world to participate in the Central Elections and Governing Bodies Elections and to participate in the Central Elections, send your data to the official WhatsApp number 03344299992 before January 20.=DNA

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Signal and Telegram messaging apps are seeing a sudden increase in demand after larger rival WhatsApp’s updated terms of service raised eyebrows on social media.

WhatsApp, which uses Signal’s encryption technology, laid out fresh terms on Wednesday, asking users to agree to let owner Facebook Inc and its subsidiaries collect user data, including their phone number and location.

Some privacy activists questioned the “accept our data grab or get out” move on Twitter, and suggested users to switch to apps like Signal and Telegram.

Signal’s popularity shot up further on Thursday after it was endorsed by Elon Musk, who has one of the most-followed accounts on Twitter, and by the micro-blogging site’s top boss Jack Dorsey.

More than 100,000 users installed Signal across the app stores of Apple and Google in the last two days, while Telegram picked up nearly 2.2 million downloads, according to data analytics firm Sensor Tower.

New installs of WhatsApp fell 11 per cent in the first seven days of 2021 compared with the prior week, but that still amounted to an estimated 10.5 million downloads globally, Sensor Tower said.

ISLAMABAD, JAN 8 (DNA) – Pakistan Information Commission has directed the Civil Aviation Authority to prominently display passengers’ right’s at airports, airlines counters, and on websites.

According to details, on an appeal of a citizen the commission has issued a detail verdict and directed the Civil Aviation Authority to ensure information about the rights of passengers is prominently displayed at airports, on its web site and that passengers are apprised about their responsibilities as well as their rights through Public Address Systems.

Moreover, airlines should also make sure this information available on their web sites, electronic and printed tickets and at airline counters.

CAA as a regulator, cannot absolve itself from its responsibility of sharing rights of passengers by merely putting information about their rights on its web site, at some obscure corner, which is not easily accessible to the citizen, the Commission observed.

A citizen, Abu Ahmed Akif had lodged an appeal against a private airline in which he had maintained that he was informed by its call center about the cancellation of the flight, (both through text message and voice call) but he was not informed about his right to be endorsed on other airlines. He appealed with the commission that “While the airline has settled this case by providing additional tickets, the issue of dissemination of passenger rights on tickets and by call centers remains unresolved – and hence citizens continue to suffer both financial and other losses”.

The commission maintained that the Appellant has raised a pertinent point that “a commercial organization cannot be expected to act against its interests by giving full information on rights which hurts its commercial interests”.

The commission in its order has observed that “it is responsibility of CAA, as a regulator, to ensure that both the commercial interests of airlines and the rights of passengers are protected”.

The twelve pages verdict of PIC states that the Right of Access to Information Act 2017 requires that citizens not only have ‘improved access’ to information but that the information should be made ‘accessible’ to all citizens, including citizens with low-literacy level and those with different disabilities.

PIC order states, it would be stating the obvious that passengers should not be treated as a homogenous group of people while disseminating information about their rights as passengers. Passengers also include those with different disabilities i.e., low-vision, blindness, speech, hearing and physical impairments.

The ability to exercise the right of access to information by passengers with different disabilities is dictated by the nature of their different disabilities. As such, it is responsibility of the CAA to ensure that both the content and the design of the web sites of CAA and those of airlines is accessible and that information about rights of passengers should be provided catering to the special needs of passengers with different disabilities.

Every passenger has the right to travel with dignity on equal basis with others irrespective of any disability. It is responsibility of CAA to ensure that both ground staff and the plane crew are apprised of the rights of passengers with different disabilities and trained to provide services to passengers with different disabilities in line with the nature of each disability.

CAA is responsible to ensure that information about the rights of passengers is prominently displayed at airports, on its web site and that passengers are apprised about their responsibilities as well as their rights through Public Address Systems, Order states.

The commission has sought compliance report, containing relevant documents and empirically verifiable evidence, pertaining to the dissemination of information mentioned above by February 12, 2021.

PIC in its order has also directed to CAA to notify Public Information Officer, (PIO), under Section 9 of the Act, put the notification to this effect on its web site as required under Section 5 (1) (b) of the Act, put name, designation and contact details of the PIO on its web sites as required under Section 5 (1) (h) of the Act within 10 working days.=DNA

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