KABUL - President Hamid Karzai on Saturday said that some cases of human rights abuses against women have recently emerged that bother human conscience.
A ceremony comprised of Afghan Ulema, Parliament Members and members of civil society, president Karzai called on religious Ulema to deliver speeches to prevent violence against women through mosques.

Afghan president strongly condemned violence against women and displayed pictures of girls whose heads, noses, eyes and ears were mutilated.
"Dear elders! These pictures show a 12-year-old girl who has been beheaded, a 14-year-old girl whose eyes, ears and nose have been cut," Mr Karzai said.

The religious clerics emphasized on prevention of violence against women and said a national gathering should be held to discuss the issue.
Head of Afghan Ulema Council said that those who commit violence against women are unaware of Islamic rules. He called on the Afghan government to prosecute the offenders.

"What's the difference between Arabs who buried their baby daughters alive and these people?" Head of the Ulema Council said Qiamuddin Kashaf said.
Meanwhile, some lawyers have criticized the government for not prosecuting the violators of women's rights.

"Those who have committed crimes against women, especially those who cut women's noses and ears have not been prosecuted," Shahla Farid, Afghan lawyer, said.
Meanwhile, some MPs emphasized on broader role of women in the government.

The statements come as recently violence against women has increased and the civil society organizations and women's rights activists have expressed deep concerns.
Recently, a 15-year-old woman who was married to a man in northeastern Baghlan province was freed from a lavatory in her husband's house where she had been imprisoned for months. She was badly tortured and her nails were removed.