Justice for Women
Man has carved out a contaminated environment for the daughter of Eve in this state of Pakistan. Women are bearing the brunt of this ugly scheme- demonizaton, dehumanization, digrace and domestic violence; and sometimes they are silenced for life .This has been case over the years when it comes to dealing with the daughter of Eve by different shades of human relationships ie by a brother, a husband and a friend.I came to know about the Noor Mukaddam tragedy through social media. I could not believe my eyes (as a result) kept digging deeper in order to determine the reality. To my utter dismay, it turned out to be a henious crime – a murder of a young girl by none other than her close associate-a male friend in Islamabad.The detail is never-shattering. The victim visited the house of callous killer ,where things turned upside down ie intimacy was transformed into tyranny ultimately culminating in catastrophe -the killing of the guest by the host.What promises and commitments had huddled them toghter are hard to trace and debate.
Nonetheless,Noor Mukaddam case shines light on murky environment of human relationships and sinking humanity especially women are grappling with in this state of Pakistan.That one’s close associate /,friend could stoop to the level of torturing and finally killing when it suits to the so called friend .The deceased body reportedly had visible wounds of violence on her body suggesting that the victim might have offered resistance before being overpowered and consequently slaughtered in the house of her alleged paramour. Indeed, women have been reduced to the level of a piece of property that can be torn apart, thrown away, or physically elimated under patriarchal and misogynistic considerations deeply weaved into the fabric of our society.
In a male-dominated- national environment like ours, women much like the TV sets are remote-controlled in every context, and muted when their lips daring difference of opinion ,questioning the logic of decisions being imposed on their lives and their choices they are making in their day- to- day affairs. It goes without saying that man has taken it granted to persecute women in every format of human relationships.The pitches women are playing on seems to be entirely adjudicated by umpires lacking human dignity, mutual respect and feelings of empathy as a result we see women are being subjected to intolerance,domestic violence and the slaughtering .
The hell broke that day when a mother of four children was brutally beaten and murdered before her children by her husband in Hyderabad .An other woman was set ablaze by her husband in June,and a 35-year old woman was shot dead by her husband in Lahore respectively. Also, Pakistani model Nayab Nadeem was found dead in May as well as a Pakistani -origin British woman was found dead at her rented house in Lahore respectively suggesting high rate of crimes committeed against women. Some male friends of the dead Birtish woman vying her were accused to be behind her untimely death.However, the accused of Islamabad tragedy along with his family members and house staff have been arrested; the latter for abetting the murder and hiding the evidence of crime in question.
Every heart bleeds over this cold blooded murder of a young daughter of an ex-ambassador. The nation with shaken conscience, has called for swift justice for Noor. But it baffles one’s mind that on the heels of Noor tragedy, efforts are under way to present the accused as mentally ill.Basically,in criminal cases involving the powerful and those with deep pockets;metal health is exaggerated and the same is being fed to the population in order to benefit those involved-to help them escape the axe of accountability.Other forms of favour in murder cases include ineffective investigation and poor prosecution thanks to corruption ultimately resulting in exoneration.In quite contrast,Zahir Jaffer ,the callous killer is quoted to have hammered out the heinous crime with his close friends citing American Passport supposedly as an advantage from criminal proceedings,or even fleeing was one of the chalked out plan to dodge legal battle. Zahir Jaffer, the cruel killer might have the infamous Raymond Davis’s case in his consciousness embolding him to do the act and to get away with the murder.Let the dust settle down and the -motives behind the crime will come to light.
Women rights activists and human rights watchdogs have expressed their grave concern on the ongoing wave of violence, persecution and physical termination of women in the country .According to data made available by White Ribbon, anti-violence group, between 2004 and 2016, there were more than 15,000 honour crimes, 5,500 kidnappings of women, nearly 5,000 cases of sexual violence, nearly 2,000 recorded cases of domestic violence as as well as 63,000 suicides among women in Pakistan. A woman is regarded as a commodity that can be purchased for physical pleasure; presented as a showpiece for promotion of items and plots. .Every advertisement of sale items needs pretty young, good looking females. .Every receptionist at commercial avenues is supposed be to physically charming enough to carrot customers.
Her physical charms are preferred to her intellectual engagement and intelligence power.Because of the recent surge in crimes against women, the annual report of the State of Human Rights released by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) for the year 2020 has set alarm bells ringing over the plight of women in the country in general and it has highlighted other forms of violence against women, which include sexual assault, domestic violence,child marriage and honour killings prevalent across the country in particular.According to human rights experts, these abuses are aimed at controlling and subjugating women. The HRCP report reiterated Pakistan ‘s concerning standing on the Global Gender Gap Index of the World Economic Forum ,where the country is placed third from the bottom ie 151 out of 153 countries.
Keeping mum over the misrable life of majority of women, their subjugation, sexual violence and physical elimnation is nothing but a callousness- a product of patrachial mindset.Let women not be allowed to suffer under any circumstances.
Imagine the multidimensional role of a woman. She is an institution within herself, doing multi tasks and performing various roles on the stage of life.To name few, an actress performing the role of mother, sister, daughter, wife, nurse etc. She is propelling the scheme of God -producing and nursing children.More importantly, the Hands of God that created man are the same shaping woman.
Recently, i was watching a drama. A certain character disclosed to his father of marrying a divorced girl he loved. Imagine the scale of wrath of father who admonished his son having said he was supposed to marry a bachelor since it was his first marriage.Thus a playwright placed a mirror transfiring the poisonous perspectives weaved into the minds of younger generation ie a female is an object of sexual pleasure.Recently,Naya Daur Media web page uploaded an image of a page of a certain Textbook normalising toxicity against women.The page contained contemptuous content against a woman having used an urdu idiom, (naaq qatwana- to tarnish the image of the family.It reads that the divorce of their daughter tarnished the image\ brought disgrace to the family-parents. (Betee ki talaaq ne khandan ki naaq katwadee) .
How is a divorced lady accused to have disgraced her family? A man divorces his wife owing to multiple issues steming from misunderstanding, suspicions, parental interference in married life etc.Does this not demonstrate deep rooted misogyny and historical hypocrisy directed against females living in this country? Why a female was targeted not a man in question? Feeding misogynistic conclusions to young learners through our text books smacks of both systemic and societal hate heaped upon women. It has engendered insecurity for every female.It is very difficult to disagree with the PMLN MNA Mehnaz Akber Aziz who in the wake of Noor tragedy on the floor of the house said”women across Pakistan are currently feeling more unsafe than ever before”.
What the women folk need to realize is that their relationships with men are not on equal footing and mutual respect. This is why they need to be extra cautious while cultivating interactions and intimacy with man .They should not trust every word uttered and promises made by predators disguised as friends just to trap them in order to exploit them in every context. The world outside is so cruel ,women need to be very kind to themselves thus moving in every direction of life after meticulously measuring the minds of men they want to be associated with.Noor is no more with us.Justice demands justice for Noor and other victims .And doing justice to them demands dismantling the toxic world we have built for women .
Thus ending the climate of both leniency and impunity with which devils keep torturing and devouring the angels.The early release of Shah Hussain who stabbed lawyer Khadija Siddiqi multiple times in 2016 in Lahore, from jail due to relaxation in his 5-year sentence; has coincided with Noor Mukaddam tragedy suggesting institutional softcorner for those subjecting women to traumatic experiences. Let women be considered human beings like male allowing them enough space to utilise their talent, to express their feelings and to live in a peaceful, caring social and sweet home environment.
