Stake of government in Women Safety

Ancestors of inhabitants of Pakistan forged this country out of sheer amount of blood and
sacrifices. Now the pertinent question in the contemporary situation is that; for whom this
country was fought for and innumerable sacrifices were given for? Why women back then
chose to die with their honor intact then to be violated by Hindus and Sikhs? And for whom
those lives were so bravely given? So that only men imbued with toxic cultural practices can
live and flourish while women languish in trauma of the horrors they face? Our ancestors
fought for this “land of pure” so that the Muslims, that were a minority in sub-continent, and
others can lead their lives according to the principles of Islam. A land where religious
freedom is the unspoken code and practice. A land where a man protects and cherishes his
mother, daughter, sister, wife and holds the same respect for women out there who may not
share a bond with him. The brave mothers, wives, sisters and daughters gave their lives with
untarnished honor to hold autonomy over their own persons and to pass on the same
opportunity to the liberated women of the future Pakistan. These sacrifices came with a cost,
a cost paid by our fore-fathers and mothers so that the future generations can reap the fruits of
their struggle.
Pakistan was forged out so that the then Minority of Muslims can lead their lives gracefully
according to the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah. And it is for the same reason that the
constitutions of the country were drafted along the same lines. However, the road leading to
the laws codified to their implementation was not a straight one. The biggest schism that was
over looked was that of the distinction of culture and religion. Sub-continent was a terrain
that was as diverse geographically as it was ethically and culturally. People belonging to all
religions and cultural practices used to co-exist peacefully. This hodgepodge of people made
Muslims to adopt the cultural practices of Hindu and Sikhs. This was a fatal flaw, as Islam is
a holistic religion with its own culture and does not need another as an accessory, and that
culture which had roots in polytheistic religion created a fork. The fork was to either practice
cultural practices that are rooted in polytheistic religion or to practice a monotheistic faith
that ran counter to those practices. This problem was brought to Pakistan as people somehow
managed to maintain a duo of patriarchal and Hinduism inspired practices with Islam. This
duo was not a balanced one, as masses opted to prioritize culture over religion when it came
certain matters such as festivities, and especially when it came to women and their rights.
With such foundational flaw the very unit of the society; that boils down to family; is also
flawed. In our South Asian societal setting, patriarchy, misogynism, bigotry and sexism are
the hallmarks of the culture so revered and religiously practiced. When in our own homes,
religion would be used as a tool to obtain self-righteousness, to subjugate others or simply
when convenient then it is all natural that toxic culture would stand paramount. With the
supremacy of that culture women safety would always be a matter of concern as south Asian
culture perceives women inferior to men. The irony that reigns supreme when women safety
is called into question, Islam’s edicts regarding ‘Parda” is often cited as the only solution.
The fact that the masses of the society fail to learn and acknowledge is that if Islam is
implemented in all its entirety, then there would be no incidents of women violation. These
problems arise because our religion is utilized as a tool engineered to use selectively in
specific situations, while the toxic cultural practices shape the very fabric of our society,
poisoning it from within.
As far as the role of government is concerned, then the representatives that are part of the
government and make up the system, are the product of the very society that breeds such
misogyny. If effective law-making is carried out then it is absolute essential its
implementation is carried out efficiently. According to an objective approach decisive and
quick punishments in cases where women are violated in every shape and form, be it
harassment, molestation, sexual assault, physical assault, rape and femicide, should be carried
out as the principal priority. And that alone is the role of the government. Government’s role
does not extend to the insides of the four walls of homes of general public where root causes
erupt and are nurtured.
In order to address this dire problem with optimum efficacy it is essential that along with
enlightenment along the lines of religion the very fabric of the society needs to be molded.
The very responsibility of respecting and protecting women rests with the individuals of the
society that makes up the unit of the society; man and wife. They are the sole stakeholders for
the right upbringing of their succeeding generations by uprooting the toxic cultural practices
in the favor of religious supremacy that liberated women from the shackles of ignorant
cultural practices of the pagan Arabs at that time. Times might have changed but such
practices still persist in varying shapes, as they do now in the cover of south Asian culture. It
is the responsibility of the man of the house to establish the deserved position of respect of
women of his household so that his sons and brothers follow the erected template to respect
the women of other households. And then it is the responsibility of the mothers of this nation,
to inculcate the spirit of esteem and respect of women in general in the souls and minds of
their sons, no matter how long overdue. So that the men of the society can reflect on the
soundness of their character instead of engaging in victim blaming.