February 12, 2013

No honeymoon for these newlyweds, only trips to court

By Naeem Sahoutara / Creative: Anushay Furqan

KARACHI: Nazeer Ahmed and Razia tied the knot by tying a thread at the shrine of a saint but two months into their marriage, the matrimonial bliss has taken back seat to the constant fear of being separated by death.

“We liked each other and wanted to marry. But our parents were not happy with this union and so we fled our homes and married in court,” Nazeer told the judges recently. “This infuriated my wife’s family, who have declared us as karo and kari (liable to be killed under the custom of honour). Now they are out to kill us and we need protection.”

Karo kari – known as honour killing in other countries – is a custom followed by multiple tribes and communities living in the rural areas, under which the man and woman who fall in love are liable to be killed in the name of honour.

Nazeer and Razia hail from the Jati town in rural Sindh where thousands of men and women have lost their lives over the years, in what the human rights defenders call an extrajudicial manner. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan counted 943 incidents of honour killings in the year 2011 across Pakistan.

Lucky to be alive, Nazeer and Razia are also paying for the defiance. “A month after our marriage, my in-laws took away my wife and kept her at their house by force. Although the police later rescued Razia and the court allowed us to live together, we are always looking over our shoulders,” Nazeer told The Express Tribune.

Court hears matters of the heart

The only way left for couples to inch closer to their ‘happily ever after’ is to go to court for protection.

According to Abdul Wahab Baloch, a lawyer who pleads cases of free will couples, the number of such couples has increased in recent years.

“In this modern day and age, the struggle starts when boys and girls fall in love. It continues from elopement to court marriage and then goes on to approach the high court for protection,” adds Baloch, who filed five cases last year.

His claim has been supported by the staff at the high court, with the reader of a judge saying: “At an average, the judges have to entertain three or four cases daily. Sometime it jumps to five.”

He explained there are two types of cases – one in which the couple ask for protection, the other where the couple seek to quash a false abduction case registered by the girl’s family against her husband.

No end in sight

Over 4,500 new cases were reportedly filed with the Sindh High Court in 2012 at the principal seat in Karachi. Due to lack of specific categorisation of the cases, the overall figure for cases of harassment has been estimated at one third of the total, out of which half are believed to have been filed by free will couples.

Realising the gravity of situation, the chief justice while deciding a petition of a couple that had been declared karo kari, directed the social welfare department to organise programmes to create awareness among people about the sensitive issue.

Adnan Karim Memon, an assistant advocate general, who was supposed to communicate the court’s order to the concerned government department, says nothing had been done.

“The court ordered to launch a campaign in those areas from where usually two to four couples come to court for protection every day. But nothing has been done so far,” said Memon. “Had the direction been implemented, it would have saved the couples time and money and the courts from the extra burden of harassment cases.”

The Express Tribune

February 12, 2013

Survey finds 77% of marriages made in traditional exchanges

By Sehrish Wasif

ISLAMABAD: In a first-of-its-kind household survey of 5,000 women, the Rutgers World Population Foundation has found that more than 77% of marriages were settled under some kind of customary practice such as vanni, swara, sang chatty or watta satta.

The survey was conducted in Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh, Jacobabad, Kashmore, Jafferabad and Naseerabad. And three-fourths of the women interviewed said they were victims of physical violence.

“On this national women’s day there is a need to address domestic violence against women in Pakistan through robust legislation that ensures protection of the victims,” said Qadeer Baig, the country representative for Pakistan, the Rutgers foundation told The Express Tribune. He added that it was necessary to also prevent institutional violence when these women went to the police, healthcare providers and the lower courts.

The survey said that 66% of the women suffered sexual violence.

The aim was to measure the prevalence of domestic violence through a quantitative approach in a household setting and the perception of men about domestic violence through focus group discussions. Four out of five women reported having experienced some sort of psychological violence at least once, including insulting behaviour or humiliation in front of others.

The survey revealed that 64% of the women who had experienced physical abuse by their husbands suffered injuries, out of which 63% never received treatment.

“Gender role ideology needs to be changed,” said Farzana Bari, who is a women rights activist and gender expert. She feels there is a need to empower women financially, socially and legally in order to overcome domestic violence. But given that the domestic violence bill is still pending in parliament, it is clear that the government only makes claims about empowering women but does nothing practically and legally.

The study also explores the practices of marriage customs, honour killings, child sexual abuse and sex-selective abortion in the selected districts. Thirty-four per cent of women reported honour killing in their families. And 47% of women experienced physical abuse by their husbands during pregnancy. Out of a total of 95% of pregnant women 21% had a history of induced abortion. Among these women, almost 40% have had an abortion because the fetus was female, while 86% of these women confirmed the sex of their fetus before opting for an abortion.

A majority of the male respondents defined manhood in terms of authority, power and honour. Shahnaz Wazir Ali, who is a special assistant to the prime minister, admitted that Pakistani women, regardless of their socio-economic status, were subjected to domestic violence. In this patriarchal society, women consider themselves the weaker sex, whose rights are brazenly violated and their voices are suppressed, she said. The Rutgers survey was carried out with the support of Pakistan Gender-based Violence Reproductive Health Network partner organisations in Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan.

The Express Tribune

February 12, 2013

Women protesters during Zia regime remain undefeated

By Sehrish Ali / Maha Mussadaq

ISLAMABAD: Few know that February 12 – officially declared National Women’s Day in Pakistan – commemorates a march by women three decades ago, which marked the “beginning of democracy”.

Exactly 30 years ago, a group of women suffered the brunt of police action for defying Section 144 (which bans public assembly) to protest against the proposed Evidence Bill during former ruler Gen Ziaul Haq’s regime.

The protesting women had planned to march to the Lahore High Court to submit a petition against the bill, which reduced the legal status of women by proposing that the evidence of two women should equal that of one man.

This protest was additionally significant as being the first one in the history of Pakistan in which the police used tear gas and batons on women. They injured many in the process and arrested nearly 50. Pictures of the courageous women being baton-charged by the police resulted in a national outcry for women’s rights.

“Thirty years have flown by and we feel as if it was just yesterday,” said Madeeha Gauhar, head of the Ajoka Theatre, who was among those at the forefront of the march.

“As the first ever public protest against marital law, there was silence everywhere. We were lathi-charged, held up and arrested, but for us it was a start to democracy in the country.” Gauhar, who was part of the Women’s Action Forum, now feels that the movement for women’s rights has drastically changed. “At that time there was a definite goal… legislation was anti-women and anti-minorities. But I feel now that the focus is no longer there, other issues dominate the national discourse.”

“Pakistan’s civil society needs to realise there can be no democracy when there are laws and Constitution based on religion. It’s not about women’s rights now, it’s about human rights,” she adds.

With the march etched in the minds of those who participated, the Women’s Action Forum members believe that the 12th of February is simply a reminder to continue the struggle.

“For three decades, we have been demanding 33% seats for women in the legislatures, but we have not yet achieved this,” stated Tahira Abdullah, a human rights activist and member of the Human Rights Commission. “So our struggle continues. Similarly, while there has been some legislation, violence against women continues to this day.”

According to the Aurat Foundation, a total of 7,516 cases of violence against women were reported from all over Pakistan in 2012. “Although the Women Protection Bill has been passed, that is not what we were asking for,” said Nageen Hayat Nomad, a founding member of the Women’s Action Forum (Rawalpindi /Islamabad chapter). “We have been demanding equality and we are still talking about it.”

“How many times are we going to protest when the state should be able to protect its citizens,” she added. Perhaps the best way to celebrate National Women’s Day is not only to remember the march led by those women three decades ago and the men in Lahore but also celebrate the continuing struggle.

The Express Tribune

February 12, 2013

MPAs call for women’s empowerment

Karachi: The provincial assembly on Monday unanimously passed a resolution calling for the empowerment of women in connection with the National Women’s Day.

The resolution moved by Minister for Women Development Tauqeer Fatima Bhutto was supported by several other legislators. It reads: “Every year, Women’s Day brings a reminder of the movements launched and the struggle undertaken to push forward the cause of women, but it also points towards their plight. Women are quite vulnerable to oppression from their families and society not only because of lack of education and awareness, but due to poor economic opportunities, hence, timely measures need to be taken to improve the status of women by providing them equal educational and economic opportunities. The female members of the Sindh Assembly resolve to work together to build the capacity of women by empowering them with education, necessary skills, training and micro-finance. Moreover, we resolve to strive towards providing them with necessary health facilities and legal cover to safeguard their rights as enshrined under the 1973 constitution by making sustained efforts for improving the living and working conditions of women so that they can lead their lives with dignity and honour.”

Initiating the debate on the resolution, the women development minister said that February 12 was reminiscent of the struggle of Pakistani women, who in the year 1983 protested against the promulgation of Hudood laws.

Senior Education Minister Pir Mazhar said that they were planning to give Rs1, 000 to each girl child for the promotion of girls’ education. Law minister Ayaz Soomro said that the government was considering increasing the reserved seats for women legislators since their population was over 60 percent.

PPP’s Jam Tamachi Unnar said the provision of better educational facilities was an important ingredient for female empowerment. He wondered how their betterment could take place when schools were closed and education quality was declining.

PML-Q legislator Nuzhat Pathan said that change would not take place till the mindset that treated women as inferior was not reformed. She said the society was undemocratic as 55per cent of the women population did not participate in politics. She frowned that the women were being sold as ‘commodity’ in Karachi, criticising the fashion shows in the city, which she equated with obscenity. Pathan said this was Karachi not Paris.

There should be a difference between freedom and unbridled independence, she asserted. “We want freedom, and Islam is the only religion that empowers women,” believed the lawmaker.Culture minister Sassui Palijo proposed that the State should pursue honour-killing cases as she would like to see a balanced society.

MQM’s Bilquees Mukhtar said political parties should give representation to women in their decision-making bodies.PML-F’s Nusrat Abbasi said Malala Yousufzi was the talk of the town, but no one paid heed to Kiran Soomro, who was dying of some disease. She lamented that women’s uplift funds had been cut, calling it “discrimination”.PML-F’s Marvi Rashidi opined the resolutions were not sufficient to bring improvement in the life of women, as they were still being killed in name of honour.

Nishan-e-Pakistan award

The MPAs also unanimously passed a resolution moved by several legislators of the Muttahida, urging the federal government to award Nishan-e-Pakistan to two MQM lawmakers assassinated in the metropolis.

The resolution reads: “It is resolved and recommended that in recognition of the meritorious services rendered by our beloved parliamentarians and sitting members of provincial assembly- Syed Raza Haider, who was assassinated ruthlessly in a mosque on August 2, 2010, by terrorists, and Syed Manzar Imam, who was brutally attacked and martyred on January 17, 2013, the Government of Pakistan is requested to honour the martyrs by awarding them posthumous Nishan-e-Pakistan award.”

Minorities’ protection

The PA also unanimously passed another resolution urging the government to provide protection to the minorities.

The resolution moved by PPP’s minority lawmaker, Saleem Khursheed Khokhar, reads: “This house resolves that religious minorities have equal citizens’ rights and have played a very vital role in the development of the country. The assembly requests the government to ensure the safety of lives and properties of religious minorities.”

Motion against Malik

Earlier, Saleem Khokhar withdrew his adjournment motion against federal interior minister Rehman Malik, who had allegedly hurt the sentiments of minorities through his biased remarks.

Khokhar pointed out that Malik had stated that the terrorists should surrender or declare themselves as non-Muslims because true Muslims could not kill innocent persons. However, he did not press his motion when Law Minister Ayaz Soomro said that he had approached Malik and the interior minister had expressed regret over hurting the sentiments of minorities.

The News

February 12, 2013

Literary fest to bring together eminent women authors

By Xari Jalil

LAHORE: The Lahore Literary Festival, Feb 23-24, will bring together some of the most eminent women scholars, poets and writers.

Some of these women have strode into the world of literature with some of the biggest contributions that continue to be translated and sold worldwide such as works of Bapsi Sidhwa.

From the perspective of a Parsi child, she wrote about the partition in Ice Candy Man, and the painful tale of a woman in The Bride. Her passionate writing and painful observations led to these excellent novels in English. At the Lahore Literature Festival Sidhwa will be re-launching The Crow Eaters, this time in Urdu titled ‘Jungle Wala’.

A more contemporary theme which remains relevant is the autobiography of a woman who writes about her experience of being married to a feudal. ‘My Feudal Lord’ is the story of the author, Tehmina Durrani, which has been translated into Urdu.

Kenize Mourad, a well acclaimed French writer having Turkish and Indian roots, will also be launching her latest book ‘In the City of Gold and Silver’ an extraordinary account of her own mother who was an Ottoman and Indian princess and married an Indian raja. Mourad is the granddaughter of Nawab of Awadh Wajid Ali Shah.

Nearly 25 years after her international bestseller ‘Regards From A Dead Princess’ of which over a million copies were sold in France and subsequently translated into 30 languages, Mourad now comes up with a new novel about an exceptional woman during an extraordinary moment in history. In the novel, almost an entire century before India gained its independence from Britain one woman – Begum Hazrat Mahal – dares to stand up to the British Empire. She does so in 1856 after the British decided to annex the immensely wealthy state of Awadh and its ruler Wajid Ali Shah left her never to return. As the Nawab’s fourth wife and mother to his son, Hazrat Mahal leads the people’s uprising against the British. Alongside the loyal Raja Jai Lal and with the help of the Cipay, the Indian soldiers who were once members of the British army now rally to her cause. Hazrat Mahal embodies the resistance movement for two years. Her wisdom, integrity and courage allow this orphan, who later became queen, to lead India to its first step towards independence.

Australian born author Libby Owen-Edmunds has literally got a new life. Her book ‘Surviving the Tsunami in Sri Lanka’ describes how she has been there and done that. Having traveled the world and been to the most extraordinary places, Libby left her successful career in advertising and moved to Sri Lanka where she has lived for the last 10 years.

Her first book ‘Monsoon Rains and Icicle Drops’ was an international bestseller and Libby now contributes books, guides and articles on all things related to history, culture, sustainability and travel. In 2007 she became the founding director of the internationally acclaimed Galle Literary Festival in Sri Lanka which is now in its 7th year. In this context her appearance at the Lahore Literary Festival is extremely significant.

Libby has voiced excitement and delight at being present at the festival.

“It will be great to see so many Pakistani and international writers at the same time,” she says.

She says that she greatly appreciates literature festivals because the atmosphere and discussion they generate coupled with the sense of community is ‘fantastic’.

“Lahore is the perfect city to host a literary festival – great writers, incredible history, amazing music, art and architecture and arguably some of the best food in South Asia – a cultural hub,” she says. “A great atmosphere for (holding) such an event,” she adds.

Libby says that not only do these festivals provide an opportunity to celebrate literature but they also provide a forum for exchange of ideas, creativity, sharing of perspective, knowledge and experiences. “As Lahore is renowned for being the cultural capital of Pakistan so literature is just one of its many cultural facets,” she says.

Dawn