Status of Pakistani Women.

What gets to me is when western mass media portrays a wrong image of a Pakistani woman . I am not ruling out the fact that women in Pakistan are Victim of the social and economic desecration. But its not only in Pakistan …. its everywhere in the world. Even in west all forms of violence including rape; domestic abuse, mutilation, burning and disfiguring faces by acid, beatings,custodial abuse and torture happens. then why only degrade the status of a Pakistani woman?

If you go back into history of Pakistan. Women liberation had been shaky because of the personal interests of every government. When Pakistan came into existence south Asian Muslim community tried to counter social evils through the custom of purdah (where women were forcibly segregated from men). After independence educated leaders tried to bring awareness and independence among women through education. Quaid -e-Azam himself was a passionate worker in the reforms to bring equality and justice for Pakistani women. He believed in empowering nation by educating women.

However, during Zia-ul-Haq’s regime the process of islamization was initiated which introduced discriminating legislation against women in Pakistan. In 1997, when Mian Nawaz Sharif came into government he tried to bring back the same process of islamization into Pakistan. He forced the sharia based criminal law and made several amendments in the constitutions. Sadly these amendments had little to do with Islam and largely with remaining in power.

During Parvez Musharraf’s regime government actually started working in order to make the amendments in the controversial Hudood ordinance.Therefor in 2006 the women’s protection bill was passed . which is a great achievement in Pakistan’s history. In December 2006, for the first time, women cadets from the Military Academy Kukul assumed guard duty at the mausoleum of Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Pakistani woman has never been this prosperous before.

Women in Pakistan have progressed alot in various fields of life but the struggle is not yet over, there is a long way to go. As the time is passing gender insensitivity is fading and women are no more forced to live a discriminated life. We as a nation need to give our unconditional support to our motherland to help it regain its glory and respect. Time has come for us to think beyond our personal interests and actually and sincerely do something for our country.