Adil Najam
As a rule, we try not to repeat posts too often. Sometimes, we feel that the message is either pertinent again or that the original may not have been seen by a new crop of readership. I am reposting this picture and this post, originally posted on this date last year, because the message is even more pertinent today than it was a year ago, and because I feel like I need to say it again.
For Pakistan, this has again been a year of struggles as well as achievements for women. It marked the assassination of Benazir Bhutto – clearly the best known Pakistani woman, whatever you think of her politics. It marked also an election that saw more women win on general seats than ever before in Pakistan. But there was more, much more, to the daily struggles and achievements of Pakistan’s 70 million women that we need to celebrate. Today, and everyday.
In the metaphor of the original post, the message is that we all are (not just women, but men too) crossing the road to better gender relations, but we ain’t there just yet. Not by a long shot. Read on, please, even if you have read it before. What follows is my original post from last year.
Today is March 8 – International Women’s Day. Today we wish to celebrate women in the fullness of what it means to be a woman in Pakistan. To celebrate their achievements (also here, here, here, here, here, here and here). And to celebrate their struggles (also here, here, here here, here, here and here).
I have thought much about how best to capture the meaning of this day. It seems to me that in many very important ways, this picture above does.
I have admired this picture by Jawad Zakariya (whose work we have featured before here and here) from the moment I first saw it at Flickr. I had been waiting, however, for the right time and the right context in which to use it. Today, I feel, IS that right time and right context.
There is both dignity and determination in the posture of this young woman as she tries to cross the road (Jail Road, Lahore). As in any good photograph, there are a thousand stories embedded in this one. The metaphor of ‘crossing the road’ is itself so very pertinent for today. So full of meaning.
For me, here is a woman who is not waiting for someone to ‘help’ her cross the road. She is not demanding any special treatment. Not waiting for assistance. Not invoking the chuvinism of the men around her. She is ready, prepared, even eager, to overcome whatever hurdles come in her way. She just wants to cross the road on her own; for people (mostly men) to get out of her way. That, ultimately, is what this day is about. It is not about seeking special treatment, special dispensations, special laws. It is about ensuring that women have what we men have always had. The ability to realize their own potentials. To rise to their own aspirations. To be able to cross the roads they wish to cross… on their own.
Mohtaram Qureshi sb,
Whats wrong if Atif looks “MMA sympathiser”. He proved himself a veru humble presenter & have logics with very strong convictions.
King_ Faisal, I also appreiate ur approach.
Daktar! Brother be tolerate, try to create the ability of listening other’s view.
Ahmaed ! Bravo sister
yes humaira — people like atif are trolls — and most also seem to be MMA sympathisers — i wonder if there is a link
People: We seem to be pretty extremist people. Having a sucessfuk career life doesn’t mean that you can’t have a family or can’t be a good parent. Everything goes hand in hand. You don’t have to be an extremist “religious” person or very “advanced”, living alone.
I for my self see the truth in most of Atif Abdul-Rahman comments. I am a woman and a career woman too in the field of engineering. I will state my opinion here which may as well be used as a case study. My family being liberal modern type never obejected to my choice of career instead i was always supported by people around me resulting in my adopting a career which just does not suits a woman. Now i have inhumanly long hours, high prospects of career growth and a growing bank account too but what i have missed out on is my future as a human being. I would have no one’s shoulder to cry on when i return home at the age of sixty and no one to take care of me and my big purse in the rehabilitation home if ever one gets constructed in pakistan. What i see around me is no different story either most of the women in the country where i live are single by choice because they do’nt have time to raise a child and are not considerate enough to give up on a career just to look after a house and kitchen. I atleast see this as an empty life. What does a single working woman have in her life to look forward to. Would any body in thier right mind term it as liberty. Does it faintly resemble fullfilment?
what i am trying to say is that islamic teaching and islamic way of life is best, we may not like it in the begining but it proves beneficial in the long run. i would have screamed for women rights and liberation had i been stopped in my career in the begining but looking back i think it would have been a blessing had there been some check on my freedom and my opting as a career woman.
Humaira “12 of the 34 comments above this (more than a third) are (long comments) from the same person. Is’nt this what trolling and forcing ones opinions on others is about!”
Does’nt it show the concern and feeling of this person who is taking trouble to penetrate our firewalls from a foreign land. To me atleast he appears more troubled by the changes taking place in pakistani society than those who are in it.
12 of the 34 comments above this (more than a third) are (long comments) from the same person. Is’nt this what trolling and forcing ones opinions on others is about!
[quote comment="37065"]Very well said King_Faisal.
Any movement, whether it’s democracy, women empowerment or some other cause, needs to be rooted in an indiginous logic. If it is articulated in a foreign jargon and is seen to be imposed from outside, then it is likely to create more suspicion rather than making much headway. Especially on the women issue, the way a lot of arguments end up sounding like a battle for pushing Islam aside seriously undermine the movement rather than strengthening it.
Talking of women empowerment, the 33% seats for women is also a very significant thing, especially in light of devolution. They may not be asserting themselves strongly right now, but over time as they get used to participating in active politics, we will insha Allah see a substantial change. For that matter, I think devolution itself is quite a significant step forward even for our democratic development, it should not be judged on the basis of its imediate results, but for its potential to promote democracy at the grass roots. That it has been brought by the military for motives that are widely suspected should not have become a reason for ridiculing the whole idea.[/quote]
i guess so. agreed. i think i shud have used slightly different words and tone. i back the women empowerment movement as a whole but i despise what current government is doing. ofcourse, that does not mean that good things happening during this government shud be forfeited.
If we really think we want to have an intellectual understanding of whats been happening to us since long ago, we need to stop taking sides of extreme views of both people like the maulvi discussed here and those who feel that Islam or its interpretation is a problem.
I am sure none on this forum occupy any of these two extremes.
The majority of the population is not even closely represented by us, namely the ATP visitors.
If we really want to solve problems, we have to be within the major society from where these crimes mostly get publicized. Live in the interior, live with them, work with them. Speak their language and change gradually and surely.
Living in another continent, we do get acclimatized and we start to think way too differently for the people who live in another country. Even though our intentions are good, we dont deliver what they want.
Stop Elitism and stop left-right classifications. Try to solve problems. That includes me too.
I think what king_faisal has said is a very good insight, at least from my opinion. It gives outlets to various solutions.
Needless to say, Ive heard various outrageous comments here and am ashamed to say that they fail to see such diversity in thoughts and backgrounds. I wont participate in any discussion on this thread unless its based on reasoning and understanding.