The Niqab Debate, 2: Picking on Muslim Women Smacks of Hypocrisy
As part of the Niqab series, we reproduce here an article by Haroon Siddiqui, the Editor Emeritus at the Canadian newspaper, Toronto Star. Haroon is an Indo-Canadian journalist who has been associated with Toronto Star for almost three decades. Toronto Star is widely regarded as a left leaning Canadian newspaper. Haroon is a member of the Order of Canada for advocating “fairness and equality of opportunity” at home and “a broader role for Canada in the global village”. Haroon has also come under criticism for being “Toronto Star’s resident Islamist”, and justifying Islamic extremist atrocities as nothing but a payback for US foreign policies. Quebec, the French majority province in Canada, is the first North American battleground for the Niqab battle. After a woman refused to remove her Niqab in French … Read entire article »
Filed under: Democracy, Pakistan, Religion, Rights, secularism, Women
The Niqab Debate, 1: Beyond the Veil
Over the next few days, we will run various articles that debate the arguments for and against the niqab legislation that is underway in European countries. Niqab, or full face and body covering introduces a conundrum in Western societies, and we suspect this issue will not be limited to only the Western societies in the near future. While religious considerations must be respected in secular democracies, there come instances when the religious argument runs afoul of the society safety and welfare of its members. We must remember that the argument is between extreme interpretations of religion that runs against the law of the land. There have been reports of Jehovah’s Witness members refusing modern medical treatment. The Western Governments took clear stand against the fact that extremely sick people were not … Read entire article »
Filed under: culture, Democracy, human rights, Pakistan, Religion, Rights, secularism, violence, Women
Taliban sympathisers and the Swat flogging video
Posted by Raza Rumi Zubair Torwali has reported from the field and debunked the perverse myths on the flogging video. This is followed by the brave and daring Samar Minallah’s account of the flogging saga and what more proof do Taliban sympathisers want. PTH is carrying these two pieces in solidarity with these two individuals who believe in a progressive and peaceful Pakistan and condemn militancy at great personal risk. Swat has witnessed many harsh and cruel days. For about two years, it presented a view of Afghanistan during the heyday of the Afghan Taliban. The man who ignited the situation against the state of Pakistan — Sufi Mohammad — was spared (seemingly by design) for about three years. The MMA was then the ruling government in the province. In 2008, … Read entire article »
Filed under: North-West Frontier Province, Pakistan, Taliban, Terrorism, violence, Women
ASR Institute must be saved at all costs
Raza Rumi ASR Institute of Women’s Studies, Lahore is not a run of the mill NGO or a donor-sponsored institution. Pakistan, not unlike other developing countries has enough of such makeshift, quick-fix research institutions that advance the Eurocentric and inappropriate agendas of those who want to liberate and enable the natives to come at par with the ‘civilized’ world. Since 1983, ASR has held its own – under dictatorships, quasi-democratic charades and amid the rise of Islamism. Not content with radical research and speaking the truth, in 1997 ASR went ahead and set up the first women’s studies institute in the non-state domain. This institute is open for South Asians and boasts a curriculum and faculty that would compete with any similar outfit in the international arena. In February 2010, ASR organized … Read entire article »
Filed under: Activism, Education, Pakistan, Politics, public policy, Women
Whither "Progressive" Bacha Khan's Wife?
By Yasser Latif Hamdani “If political consciousness is awakened amongst our women, remember, your children will not have much to worry about.” Founding Father of Pakistan, Mr. Mahomed Ali Jinnah, Lahore, March 22, 1940 The title? No I don’t post such things out of spite or because I am a horribly mean and terrible person. I might be all those things but I am posting this question because I am sick of the hypocrisy shown by Pushtun Nationalists, who try and monopolize the terms “secular” and “progressive” for their narrow tribal agena. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Women
PAKISTAN: Constant violence against women in 2009
An Article by the Asian Human Rights Commission Physical and sexual violence, honor killings, forced marriages and structural inequalities within the society are constant violations of women’s fundamental rights. The cases in this article were provided by Mister Mohammed Nafees from Karachi, based on news from Daily Dawn. By Julia Lemétayer 2009 has been another tragic year for women rights in Pakistan. Many cases have been reported, in which women were abducted, assaulted, raped, murdered, forced to marriage or traded to resolve disputes. According to Aurat Foundation, a non-governmental organization working for women empowerment in Pakistan, between January and June last year, a total of 4,514 incidents of violence against women were reported. Victims, if they dare reporting these facts, have to face police obstruction and societal pressure. If some of these facts … Read entire article »
Filed under: human rights, Justice, Pakistan, poverty, Religion, Rights, Rural, Society, state, violence, Women
A Win for the Women of Pakistan
by Dr. Fouzia Saeed I would like to congratulate all the women in Pakistan on the passage of two significant pieces of legislation. The issue of sexual harassment had pained us for just too long. I learnt from my mother and other elders, and I am sure all the other Pakistani women learnt it from their mothers that, Ghar se bahir niklo gi to aiesa to ho ga” (If you will go out of the home you are bound to face it). Sexual harassment, every time we went out anywhere, was taken as a given phenomenon, a constant in our lives. The burden was always on us to devise ways to handle it. Of course, these ways only restricted our own lives. No one in my life ever said that it … Read entire article »
Religion and Women
Religion and Women By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF Published: January 9, 2010 All rights reserved with New York Times Company Religions derive their power and popularity in part from the ethical compass they offer. So why do so many faiths help perpetuate something that most of us regard as profoundly unethical: the oppression of women? It is not that warlords in Congo cite Scripture to justify their mass rapes (although the last warlord I met there called himself a pastor and wore a button reading “rebels for Christ”). It’s not that brides are burned in India as part of a Hindu ritual. And there’s no verse in the Koran that instructs Afghan thugs to throw acid in the faces of girls who dare to go to school. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Activism, human rights, Islam, Religion, Rights, Society, violence, Women
Interview: Pakistan, “The Gender Discourse Needs to Be Linked to Local Realities”
Heinrick Boll Stiftung, The Green Political Foundation Due to the offensive by the military only a few weeks ago, Pakistan came into the focus of the international public again. The power of the Taliban in connection with the attitude of the society was widely discussed, but once again gender and women issues were not highlighted. Durre Ahmed, chairperson and senior research fellow at the Centre for the Study of Gender and Culture in Lahore, about the current situation and development of the gender discourse in Pakistan. In the current debate especially one phenomenon referred to as ‘radicalization’ or ‘Talibanization’ of society was often mentioned. What is the effect of this seemingly growing radicalisation of society on gender issues? What effect does it have on people’s psyche? Durre Ahmed: As expected the effect is extremely … Read entire article »
Filed under: Activism, Citizens, human rights, Islam, Islamism, Pakistan, Terrorism, violence, Women
Change of Guard At Jinnah's Mausoleum On His Birthday
No nation can rise to the height of glory unless your women are side by side with you. We are victims of evil customs. It is a crime against humanity that our women are shut up within the four walls of their houses as prisoners. There is no sanction anywhere for the deplorable conditions in which our women have to live.– Mohammad Ali Jinnah 1944 … Read entire article »
Filed under: Women
Bare necessities
By Aroosa Masroor Dawn, 04 Dec, 2009 DADU: Mehak Essa is content that she can now concentrate on her studies. Until two months ago, she spent most of her time calculating the minutes that would be wasted in walking all the way to her relative’s house each time she wanted to use a toilet. But now that her school has a separate toilet for girls, she says her mind is ‘at peace.’ … Read entire article »
Filed under: Children, Education, Environment, Pakistan, poverty, Sindh, Women
Female squash player from Waziristan defies the odds
By Taimur Sikander Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Sports Pir Aftab Shah Jillani presenting Maria Toor with a cash award as her family looks on during a ceremony to reward top players on the national circuit in Islamabad. -Photo by APP KARACHI: Top Pakistani squash players Aamir Atlas Khan and Maria Toor have been nominated for Professional Squash Association Young Player of the Year and Women’s International Squash Players Association (WISPA) Young Player of the Year, respectively, by … Read entire article »
Filed under: culture, FATA, Islamism, North-West Frontier Province, Pakistan, Rights, sport, Women, youth
“We Refuse to Be Held to Ransom By Terrorism”
Cross-post: Beena Sarwar interviews VEENA MASUD, Pakistan Women’s Swimming Association KARACHI, Oct 29 (IPS) – Karachi-based, Trinidad-born and educated Veena Masud is a school principal who wants to see Pakistani women shine in the international sports arena. Honorary Secretary of the Pakistan Women’s Swimming Association, president of the Sindh Women’s Swimming Association, and executive committee member of the Pakistan Olympic Association, she has cheered Pakistani swimmers as they returned to the Olympics after 40 years. … Read entire article »
Filed under: human rights, Law, Pakistan, Religion, Rights, sport, Women, youth
Neo 'Iron curtain' and the loud marching steps.
The Neo ‘Iron Curtain’ and the loud marching steps of televangelistas. Bradistan Calling The latest cultural trend is the sensational rise of televangelist channels in U.K, using tactics which can only be described as ‘emotional and religious blackmail’ and premium rate phone charges to raise funds from devotees, most of these are Nigerian Pentecostal ‘Witchdoctor’ (faith healer potions and exorcisms) TV channels operating from London. Generally the term ‘televangelist’ refers to American evangelical splinter churches propagating to solicit donations for converting poor Africans. This concoction of ideologies is being beamed back to Africa and Asia through satellite. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Activism, Afghanistan, Al Qaeda, Army, Benazir Bhutto, Citizens, culture, Democracy, dynasties, Elections, Europe, FATA, Heritage, History, human rights, Identity, Images, India, Islam, Islamabad, Islamism, journalism, Kashmir, Labour, Languages, Media, men, minorities, North-West Frontier Province, Pakistan, Palestine-israel, Partition, Politics, poverty, Religion, Rights, Society, south asia, Sufism, Taliban, Terrorism, Travel, Urdu, USA, violence, war, Women, youth
REBUTTAL:Sarkozy is WRONG on the Burqah Issue
By Rafique Ahmed Mangrio This is in response to Yasser Latif Hamdani’s article “Sarkozi is right! Burqah is Not an Islamic Requirement.” In the contents of this sentiment, there are two questions as discussed. Is the Burqah Islamic Requirement? Does the French Republic right to ban the Burqah? … Read entire article »
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