Sindh Minister for Information, Shazia Marri has asked government organisations, NGOs and civil society organisations to come forward for launching a joint fight against HIV/AIDS that has become an epidemic disease across the globe.

This, she said, while addressing a ceremony organised Sunday by Dialogue for Development Forum at the Arts Council Karachi. “AIDS is a silent killer and one of the dangerous diseases in the world. Many people do not have knowledge about this disease and die without getting treatment.”

She said that no sufficient work in Pakistan had so far been carried out to eliminate this disease. Unfortunately, many people across the country were still unaware about the disease because of the fact that the people were struggling for getting food for their survival. They demand meals not steps against AIDS, she remarked.

She said that the United Nations had been fighting against the HIV/AIDS by launching different programmes. It had also funded NGOs in Pakistan to fight this disease.

“Let us jointly fight against HIV/AIDS that has become an epidemic disease. She said that the government and NGOs would have to create awareness about this dangerous disease in the country because there were many people who even do not know what is HIV/AIDS”.

She said family planning policy was one of the best ways to fight this disease. The minister said that her government would chalk out a comprehensive programme to fight this disease in the province, particularly in rural areas. The people in Pakistan were becoming poor due to socio-economic problems but the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government was committed to resolve these issues on a war-footing basis.

Later, Shazia Marri distributed prizes among noted personalities from NGOs, civil society organisations and the media.

She also visited different stalls established by NGOs and exchanged views with their organisers. She hailed the NGOS for their significant social welfare work and hoped that they would continue this struggle in collaboration with the government.