Abdul Basit

Freedom, in many ways assumed, is the foundation of dignity for human beings. It is the power of choosing one’s path, pursuing education, building relationships, and expressing oneself without any fear. It’s the simple act of deciding how to spend a day.

When we are tasked to punish a criminal for his committed crimes, what do we take away from them? They continue to get food, clothes, roof even people to talk to. Instead, we strip a criminal of their freedom, confining them to a prison cell, we recognize its immense value that the loss of their liberty is the ultimate punishment. Then similarly, we should not justify limiting the freedom of women, telling them, “You can do the same at home,” when they yearn for the same basic rights.

This suppression is not simply about physical confinement; it’s about control, founded on the ancient belief that women are somehow undeserving of authority. Certain translations of religious teachings and cultural traditions promote this line of thinking, fostering a culture where women are expected to be submissive and dependent. Today’s challenges include the over-sexualization of women in the media and the commodification of their bodies, which further erodes genuine empowerment.

Read: Empowered Women Change the World

Even women themselves, who uphold these restrictive traditions, contribute to this very cycle that undermines their own potential and empowerment. Women should realize that when they take part in these objectifications by agreeing to act in such commercials and campaigns, they are sending a subliminal message or approval to society that there is nothing wrong in commodifying women’s bodies and it further continues the normalization.

Suppressing women’s intellectual and creative pursuits is not only unjust but also detrimental to society as a whole. A society cannot thrive when half its population is stifled. Further, the degradation of motherhood within capitalist frameworks, where it becomes progressively commodified, underscores the necessity for a change of perspective. Scandinavian nations, where mutual respect between the genders is deeply rooted, are living proof of the advantages of gender equality. Not only are these societies wealthier, but they are also happier and more peaceful.

Let us aim to tear down the walls that limit women’s freedom. Let us break the deep-seated prejudices that cause inequality. Let us strive for a world in which women are not merely admired for their strength and survival but are empowered to lead their lives as they choose. Respecting one another is not merely an ideal, but it is the basis for a just and prosperous society. Let us be reminded that celebrating, respecting, and offering autonomy to women is not an act of benevolence but an essential need for human advancement.

Read: RE-FOCUSING ON A MAN & WOMAN’S ROLE IN SOCIETY

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Abdul Basit is a student of Mass Communication at University of Karachi 

The post Woman Empowerment: Freedom both ways first appeared on Sindh Courier.

Nazarul Islam

On this Women’s Day I asked Nuzhat, my wife of nearly 40 years whether she feels that a broader change in gender mindsets has finally arrived in her country of birth—Pakistan. And, whether she is comfortable with her goal for which the Aurat (Women’s) March has been mobilizing men and women since 2018. Every year, the Aurat March has focused on mobilizing people from marginalized segments of society such as low socio-economic groups and religious minorities, yet the campaign has remained restricted to select cities. It has yet to gain momentum in rural areas, where gender inequalities are worse.

A few years ago, a reverberating backlash by the Taliban had generated intense criticism of the movement from among Pakistan’s news media, religious scholars, established politicians and the public. In the same year, The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial assembly had formally condemned the Women March in the cities of Pakistan. Critics of the movement have publicly accused it of being ‘“un-Islamic”, focused on serving a “western agenda”.

Obviously, the criticism against the Aurat March stems from a simplistic disagreement in society which perceives feminism and Islam as irreconcilably two ideas, in perpetual conflict. However, this absurd dichotomy has also been cemented by mainstream interpretations of Islam that use a patriarchal cultural lens and systematically exclude feminist narratives available in Islamic traditions.

The religious narrative in Pakistan has so fully absorbed patriarchal cultural ideas that those who challenge patriarchy are accused of being against the idea of religion. These allegations are hard to dismiss when allowed to resonate with the majority of Pakistanis, for whom religion is central to personal and collective identity.

In Pakistani society, Women’s Rights movements like the Aurat March are, likely to remain polarized and totally misunderstood, to lose its effect unless the ideas are allowed to integrate with concepts of feminism, modernity and included in the narrative of Islam. All this would obviously give way to a major shift that would engage ‘progressive’ and far sighted religious scholars. Could this really be possible, when the country is pitted against extremism and women’s isolation from the concepts of mainstream, global movements?

I may be allowed to say here that a continued disconnect with religion will certainly hamper the Aurat March from creating a critical mass for gender justice in Pakistan.

Again, this disconnect applies not only to social movements but also to wider advocacy and development efforts. Not surprisingly, the initial roundtable discussions on gender inequality and violence had also failed to explore religion as a contributor to gender injustice, and more importantly, as a potential tool for reform.

Muslim women in Pakistan and across the globe have been trying to build the bridge between women’s rights and Islam for generations.

Pakistani feminists gathered momentum since 2018, and have been organizing large public demonstrations for Women’s Day called the Aurat March. Expectedly, Opposition to the march has grown in proportion to its popularity and impact.

I have closely watched the episodes of the past four marches— the first two in Karachi and then in Lahore, joined at different times by my close relatives, including my nieces, friends, their husband, and colleagues at work.

Only two years ago, the organizers had to obtain a court order from a Lahore court to be allowed to go ahead. The situation has cropped up again this year, with even more vehemence directed against the march.

When women organized the first Aurat March in Karachi, no one had expected such a large turnout in this largely patriarchal society, but multitudes of women did turn up at the historic Frere Hall gardens.

This was particularly amazing—to see women from all walks of life join hands to raise their voices for basic rights. Issues raised through placards and speeches included inheritance rights, right to education, access to health services and equal wages, unpaid labor, domestic violence, demand for safety at work and in public spaces.

Certainly this was the strongest statement so far, by a section of society that is largely viewed as subservient and repressed.

Quite a lot of observers had dismissed the massive turnout as a one-time fluke. However, women took it as a wake-up call to continue working on breaking barriers that have held them back in many domains. What conservatives termed a malaise spread across Pakistan?

Contrary to general belief, this event has got bigger in subsequent years. Women emerged in throngs to march in multiple cities — Karachi, Hyderabad, Lahore, Multan, Islamabad, even Hunza valley. Men began to join the event with their families. The numbers have continued rising despite the increasing threats received from conservatives.

The slogans raised at the Aurat March since its inception have created furor “because they challenge dominant norms and gender roles by calling for autonomy, equality, freedom, and justice,” said PhD scholar Daanika R. Kamal at the School of Law, Queen Mary University of London.

Disheartening issues such as child rape, sexual abuse, honor killings, and transgender rights, were raised to apprise men of the limits they cross to satisfy a collective sense of egos. The manifestos and charters of the demands released by the organizers of the Aurat March — different in each city — reflect these slogans.

The opponents of the march seem to be totally unaware of these and never engage in dialogue about them.

I remember there was great opposition to the slogan ‘Mera jism, meri marzi (My body, my choice)’ raised in 2019. This was a call to end gender violence, sexual harassment, and bonded labor, but opponents of the march said that it was a call for sexual libertarianism.

“I feel that the Aurat March has changed the narrative about women’s rights,” says performing artist Sheema Kermani, one of the founding members of the Aurat March. “It has shaken the very foundations of patriarchy and brought the dialogue on women’s rights into every home, every family, in offices and on the roads.”

Celebrities like actor Mahira Khan came out in support of the march and explained the real meaning behind the slogan.

Women defiantly continued to chant the slogan at subsequent events.

Opponents tag the march as unsafe. Personally, I have found the Aurat March the safest of any public space in Pakistan. No incidents of jostling or eve-teasing have been reported at any of these events.

Aurat March demonstrations are inclusive events attended by women from different backgrounds, thoughts, and beliefs. Large numbers of women in burqa and hijab march in harmony with women in salwar kameez, some with dupattas, and some without. There are women in saris and in jeans. Everyone is welcome. It provides a chance to engage in dialogue to understand other perspectives. That is how civilised societies find solutions to the problems they face.

And yet, threats to the event have only grown. This reflects a deepening societal divide on moral and social values.

False allegations and social media disinformation campaigns have attempted to discredit the event. Placards were photo-shopped to distort the messages. Last year’s backlash was the worst. Someone had doctored a video of the Karachi March, making it seem as if the activists had committed ‘blasphemy’ — a charge that in Pakistan can lead to the accused being killed by vigilantes.

Again, the Aurat (Women’s) March has proved to be a phenomenal success, forcing society to acknowledge women’s efforts. It has also sparked nationwide debates about the rights that women are entitled to but denied.

The women of Pakistan want to develop collective communities of care, building on existing support. Why is it such a bad idea to build supportive communities that hold themselves accountable, have mechanisms to address abuse, support victims of violence, and create awareness around health issues and legal rights?

Why do so many in Pakistan see their demands as a threat to society? Access to safe public spaces, the right to voice their views, equal wages, respecting all belief systems, to integrate trans-individuals as useful members of society — in short, basic human rights.

These demands are reflected in the main issues highlighted by Aurat March events in various cities. Each may have a different focus, but overall, they stress the issues that women face in Pakistan.

Women’s March Karachi is calling for Social Security, demanding ‘Ujrat, Tahaffuz, Sukoon’ — wages, security, peace. Lahore is focusing on ‘Repair and Reform’, calling for justice for rape victims, reproductive health, and transgender rights. Multan is calling for ‘Reimagining the Education System’.

Those who oppose the Aurat March must realize that it is important for all of us to work together to break the biases that hold back half our population.

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The Bengal-born writer Nazarul Islam is a senior educationist based in USA. He writes for Sindh Courier and the newspapers of Bangladesh, India and America. He is author of a recently published book ‘Chasing Hope’ – a compilation of his articles.

The post Women’s march has changed the narrative about rights in Pakistan first appeared on Sindh Courier.

Lately, I wrote on my social media account in support of Aurat March. Being a man, it’s not easy to be a feminist and advocate of rights of women, in a suffocating patriarchal society like ours. I was chided and rebuked by my closest friends for promoting the vulgarity of Aurat March. I have personally witnessed men torture and kill women with immunity and get away with their crimes. What could be the worst form of deeply misogyny and patriarchal example than a father in Mianwali was arrested for killing his week-old daughter by shooting her five times because he wanted his firstborn to be a son. In a society where a son is believed to offer better financial security to parents than daughters, and girls and women face prevalent violence, it is high time to end an old world of patriarchy and invent a new world of gender equality.

Nasir Soomro

Karachi Sindh

The post Freedom of Women first appeared on Sindh Courier.