A local Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader, who was out on bail in a case of slapping a Pakistan Post female officer, has been appointed district coordinator of the Punjab Women Protection Authority (PWPA).
The appointment of Naveed Aslam, District Information Secretary, PTI, by Kaniz Fatima Chadhar, Chairperson, Punjab Women Protection Authority, has raised many questions.
Local women's rights groups are puzzled by how a person allegedly involved in violence against women will defend other women.
It may be recalled that on September 24, Ghalla Mandi police had registered a case against Naveed Aslam for slapping and insulting senior female Postmaster (SPM) officer Sofia Qasim at the General Post Office (GPO). He was arrested on the same day but was released on bail the next day and is still out on bail.
Complainant's lawyer Malik Fazal Karim told Dawn that the next hearing of the case would be held on November 19 in the court of Judicial Magistrate Samina Ijaz Cheema.
Earlier on October 21, District and Sessions Judge Munir Hussain Gul had rejected Naveed Aslam's plea against the case while Ahsan Javed Awan, advisor to the federal ombudsman for Faisalabad region, also quashed his plea against the torture case. Was
It is pertinent to mention here that the appointment order issued on 16th October, with reference to the job description, stated that reporting incidents of violence against women, participating in women's rights campaigns, chairperson and DG Naveed Aslam's responsibilities included briefing the media and providing assistance to victims of violence against women while keeping the PWPA on board.
On the other hand, Sofia Qasim said on the controversial appointment of Naveed Aslam that she is considering going to the authorities for justice, she is struggling to get justice, but she hopes that she will get justice from the court.
His lawyer, Fazal Karim, accused Naveed Aslam of abusing his political position to influence the case and that his new appointment was a similar attempt.
However, Kaniz Fatima Chadhar claimed that she was not aware of Naveed Aslam's case. She said that her appointment had already been decided but the notification was issued in October. Deployment can be reviewed.
