All hell broke loose when the ‘daughter of the Nation’ Maryam Nawaz Sharif appeared before the Joint Investigation Team meant to probe into Sharif family’s offshore properties. Suddenly, getting out of the house to appear in front of a six-member body became the worst thing to have happened to a woman in Pakistan. A number of PML N members indirectly pointed out how it was so humiliating for a woman especially the ‘daughter of the Nation’ to be called to a JIT session.
An angry Ishaq Dar pointed out that he would not have liked it for any women to have to go out in front of the JIT
He said he would e against the idea of women going out in front of JIT even if it were Imran Khan’s sister, Uzma Behn or Aleema Behn instead of Maryam.
Newsflash: throughout the history of Pakistan, we’ve witnessed a colossal number of women who refused to sit at their homes and came out to fight for what they believed in, unlike what PML N is currently trying to instill in the minds of women. Going out and participating in public spaces as full fledged members of the society does nothing but help women, and the society at large.
Here are just a few examples of such courageous women and spoiler alert: no, their izzat didn’t get tarnished in the process:
1. Fatima Jinnah being vocal about civil rights and taking on a dictator
Who doesn’t know Fatima Jinnah? Her support for civil rights, her constant struggle in Pakistan Movement and her utmost support for her brother were and are still unparalleled.
2. Bushra Aitzaz Ahsan leading a procession to protest against oppressive laws
Bushra Aitzaz Ahsan was beaten and arrested during Martial Law in 1983 because she was leading a procession protesting the regime’s evidence Law reducing testimony of women. Her courage was and has been unmatched.
3. Sabeen Mehmood speaking up on the Balochistan conflict
Sabeem Mehmood, the progressive Pakistani human rights activist and social worker, was silenced for speaking on the Balochistan conflict. But her death inspired so many other women to stand up for themselves.
4. Professor Anita Ghulam Ali championing women’s education
Awarded with the Benazir Women Excellence Award at the 5th International Conference on Women’s Leadership held in Karachi, Professor Anita Ghulam Rasool was a champion for women’s education.
5. Benazir Bhutto becoming the first ever female Prime Minister of Pakistan
First Pakistani woman Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto never let her gender define her career.
6. Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy bagging two Oscars for highlighting the dark yet real face of the country
Criticized for defaming Pakistan and what not, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy kept doing her thing and eventually won two Oscars.
7. Zenith Irfan aiming to travel across the world on her bike
The 21-year-old student from Lahore, is aiming to travel across the world on her bike and well, we are so proud of her.
8. Malala Yousafzai becoming the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate
Malala Yousafzai is not only an activist for female education, she is the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate too.
9. Salima Begum training almost 7,000 teachers across Gilgit
Salima Begum teaches at a local school in Gilgit. Till date, she has trained almost 7,000 teachers across the province. Moreover, she has further trained 8000 more people through an education reform program. She was nominated for the global teacher prize.
10. Ayesha Farooq becoming one of the five women fighter pilots in PAF
Haling from Bahawalpur, Ayesha Farooq is one of five women who have become pilots in the Pakistan Air Force.
11. Farhana Zaidi inspiring women across the world with her features on women’s rights
Nominated by Women Deliver, as one of the 15 most powerful female journalists around the world, for her features on women’s rights, Farhana Zaidi has been an inspiration for thousands of female journalists around the world.
12. Lala Rukh fighting discrimination and oppression against women through Women Action Forum
Being one of the founding members of Women Action Forum, Lala Rukh spent most of her life to fight discrimination and oppression against women.
13. Tehmina Durrani inspiring women to stand up against the abuse and injustices through her writings
Tehmina Durrani, the writer of My Feudal Lord and Blasphemy has inspired women across the globe to come out with their own stories of abuse and injustices with her writings.
14. Women coming out of their houses and sitting at dhabas like bosses
15. Qandeel Baloch deciding how to lead her own goddamn life
So dear Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz, whatever your political allegiances are, please do not try and send the women back to their houses. There’s enough sexism, misogyny and patriarchy in the country already. Let’s not try and make it about qaum ki betiyon ki izzat because we all know it will just further aggravate the patriarchy.
Cover Image via: lawsofpakistan.com