WPC concern

Islamabad: Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (WPC) on Friday expressed concern on unnecessary delay in the nomination of the Chairperson of the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW).

Currently, seven names shortlisted by the Ministry of Human Rights are with the prime Minster for selection of three names. Similarly, three names will also be shortlisted by the Leader of the opposition. These names will then go to the Parliamentary Committee where the final decisions will be taken by the Parliamentarians after review of profiles and interviews.

The tenure of last NCSW Chairperson Khawar Mumtaz ended in December and the tenure of NCSW members will end in the mid March. The civil society has often expressed concern over the delay in the nomination of next chairperson saying that if timely decision is not taken by the Prime Minister, there are chances that the Commission will become defunct in mid March. Talking to The News, State Minister for Human Rights Barrister Zafarullah rejected the rumors and said that the delay would not create any such crisis.

In a meeting of Women’s Parliamentary Caucus held on Friday under the WPC Chairpersonship of Secretary Shaista Pervaiz Malik, great concern was voiced regarding the unnecessary delay in the nomination of the Chairperson NCSW by all the Caucus members attending the meeting. They drafted a resolution in this regard urging the government to expedite the process of selecting the Chairperson at the earliest. 

The meeting also expressed strong reservations regarding the Peshawar High Court’s decision on election in PK-95 Lower Dir where the result was declared null and void by Election Commission as women were denied right of voting in the area.