Posts Tagged ‘Women’s rights’

پہلی اپریل کو کسی نے مجھے جاوید چودھری کا روزنامہ ایکسپریس میں شایع ہونے والا کالم فارورڈ کیا جسے پڑھ کر میں حیران رہ گیا کے جاوید چودھری کی سوچ اتنی مجرمانہ اور گری ہوئی ہو سکتی ہے اور ہمارے [...]

Fakhra Younus, an acid-attack victim, committed suicide less than a month ago – a horrid crime leading to a murder. Not many would be uninformed about the incident and unaware of the woman herself; for, it received heavy media attention followed by prolonged criticism and condemnation by different segments of the society. The subject of the [...]

‘Saving Face’ is a good documentary, it is about women who are victims of a vicious crime,. It is about egos which became so treacherous and detrimental that they only get satisfaction in violence and sedition. It is about men who seeks revenge in petty domestic issues and who can never respect an individual, for them revenge means mutilating [...]

The CIA (Crime Investigation Agency ) treated me like notorious criminal. Repeatedly they pulled my hair and slapped me on my ace . The wanted to make a false sexual allegation against Asif Zardari (Benazir Bhutto's jailed husband ) and wanted to say Benazir had given me (and party's student wing) weapons to create chaos in Karachi , or that she [...]

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani congratulated all parliamentarians, particularly women parliamentarians, for the unanimous passage of the Anti-Women Practices Criminal Law Amendment Bill 2008. Gilani recalled that Shaheed Benazir Bhutto had always given high priority to legislation that protected the rights of women and it was in this spirit [...]

This morning I woke up to find the news of masked men entering a school in Rawalpindi and thrashing students and teachers for dressing inappropriately. The absence of the news from electronic media evidences the lack of freedom and an apparent ideological bias that plagues the Pakistani media. With such direct and indirect pressure one must salute [...]

MULTAN: On April 14, two men entered Asma Firdous’ home, cut off six of her fingers, slashed her arms and lips and then sliced off her nose. Before leaving the house, the men locked their 28-year-old victim inside. Asma, from impoverished Kohaur Junobi village in Pakistan’s south, was mutilated because her husband was involved in a dispute [...]

Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of the person. Men and women of full age without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry or to have a family. They entitled to equal rights as to marriage and its dissolution. Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the [...]

Addressing the constraints women face in the labour market requires gender-sensitive market regulations. It is a matter of common observation that women are doing various household jobs like babysitting, cooking, cleaning, etc, outside their homes, but such employment is not covered through labour legislation or social security laws A baby [...]

It is middle and upper classes whose women stay at home in general. In urban centres, majority of women from lower (and lower middle) classes are working so as women from rural areas as farmers (who work on wages), but they are classified in 'informal sector' along with their male counterparts, and hence not counted as labour, and as such no legal [...]

My father visited us in USA earlier this year. This was his first time visiting USA. He noticed the same things about USA that I did when I came to USA. Yes, I too noticed that there were women working everywhere in USA. In stores, in malls, in schools, and almost everywhere. "What do their men do?" I wondered My father said [...]

Editor's note: The following is a rush draft of a syndicated post comprising comments and contributions of various team member of the LUBP. Dilshad Chandio: Since Aitzaz Ahsan was the lawyer of Muktharan Mai and the 'azad' (now pro rape) judiciary can do no wrong, can a lawyer friend tell us if Aitzaz did not prepare the case properly or [...]

Chief Justice Iftakhar Chaudhry's party, Supreme League of Pakistan (SLOP) has proved all rapists in Mukhtara’s case as honorable citizens and innocents. After six years, SLOP reached a consensus that suo moto against Punjab’s SLOP was a non-political decision and it was done in haste. SLOP alleged to be a political wing of ISI,   was [...]

Now I will appeal to Allah, says Mukhtaran Mai Source: The News, April 21, 2011 MULTAN: Mukhtaran Mai, a victim of gang rape, expressing her distress over the Supreme Court verdict said now she would take recourse to Allah's court only. SC on Thursday upheld the verdict of Lahore High Court (LHC) in Mukhtaran Mai case. Voicing [...]

I must start by stating that I’m not pro-burqa but my argument is simple. No one has a right to tell a person how to dress- not their family nor the State. I oppose the law banning the burqa for the same reasons I would oppose being told to wearing one. By making it a State law against something, you impose just one interpretation and deny [...]

Related articles: The burqa debate: “To ban or not to ban?” – by Imaan Hazir Mazari The burqa debate: “Burqa got a befitting French kiss” – by Marvi Sirmed We all know that burqa does not have its roots in religion. Religion only asks women to dress modestly. Where did the burqa or veil come from then? Why do so many women in [...]

LAHORE: It was with immense disappointment that I viewed the March 20 episode of “Hasb-e-Haal”. The misogynistic views expressed by Mr Sohail Ahmed in his role as, Azizi, reinforce the stereotypical role of women and strengthen the legitimacy of those who believe a women’s place is within the confines of her home. Mr Ahmed, in [...]

Did 22-year-old Saima Bibi scream out as she was electrocuted at her parents’ home in their village near the southern Punjab city of Bahawalpur in Pakistan? Did she plead with her family for her life? Did she seek mercy? The answers to these questions will never be known. In one of the most harrowing “honour” killings reported in recent [...]

Oh wow. We've all become so used to the hyperbole of the Western and local language English press around Pakistan Fashion Weeks, that it is sometimes easy to forget how a significant section of society in Pakistan views them. And who better to represent that view than our intrepid Khalifa-ul-Waqt, Ansar Abbasi, who can and will hold forth on [...]

Two headlines in daily Dawn’s website yesterday, two news, two events, one brings hope while other despair. One is about the Amnesty International asking for release of Asia Bibi, sentenced to death on blasphemy charges (Amnesty urges release of Pakistani Christian woman, 2010). Other is about the victory of Pakistan women cricket team in [...]

Two diametrically opposed articles on the status of women’s rights in this country appear in today’s news. They should both be read together, hopefully resulting in an open and honest discussion of one of the great . For all the Ghairat Brigade’s moaning and wailing about issues of foreign policy, where are they when our national honor is [...]

Related articles: Congratulations, Asma Jahangir won the SCBA elections – by pejamistri Asma Jahangir’s victory is a loss for Jang Group’s yellow journalism – by Ahmed Iqbalabadi President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani felicitated Asma Jahangir on her election as the SCBA president. President Zardari said [...]

WASHINGTON — In the next 40 years, an unprecedented number of women will be in positions of power, Muslim immigration to the West will rise, and office workers will be unchained from their cubicles, a report released last week says. South America will see sustained economic growth and the Middle East will become "a tangle of religions, sects [...]

Bollywood is tackling the subject of sexual harassment in the workplace, which campaigners say is increasingly becoming an issue as traditional gender roles change in modern urban India. “Hello Darling”, which was released on Friday, is inspired by the 1980 Hollywood comedy “Nine To Five” in which Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dolly [...]

Note: Adapted from a comment by the author on an LUBP post Patriarchy isn’t religion specific it has a number of socio-economic as well as historical reasons. The issue of commodification of women isn’t Islam specific, it’s prevalent in almost all societies with multiple manifestations, the growth and rise of feminist school in west [...]

Testosterone-infused patriarchs have knowingly and unconsciously vilified Islam and misinterpreted it to satisfy their virginity-obsessed lusts. Either we accept promiscuity in our wives, daughters and daughters-in-law or work toward the simple standard of gender equity, spiritual and physical modesty Patriarchy is the worst hijacker of Islam, [...]

This is a copy of the letter sent by Women's Action Forum (WAF) against the appointment of Maulana Sherani of JUI as chairman of Council of Islamic Ideology. The CII mandate is very broad and can bring review of any law, policy or development into its ambit to question and comment on it, effectively, a veto power. The Prime Minister of [...]

Friends, comrades This is to bring into your notice my constant harassment by the intelligence personnel; if i am missing you might have an idea. Here is the letter i have sent to a higher official. May 19, 2010 To, A.I.G Police Special Branch , Mrs Helena Iqbal Saeed Subject: Harassment by personnel of different intelligence [...]

جہادیوں کا مذموم چہرہ آج اخبار میں ایک خبر پر نظر پڑھی تو دل خود کا آنسو رونے کو چاہا http://express.com.pk/epaper/PoPupwindow.aspx?newsID=1100949779&Issue=NP_LHE&Date=20100525 یہ ہے ننگا کردار اس ملک کی مذہبی اور جہادی [...]

A student holds up a threatening letter, sent to the school by members of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, at the Girls High School in Kali Shekhan, Quetta. (Source)

In 1996, the Kashf Foundation became Pakistan’s first microfinance institution, empowering both women and families in an attempt to replicate the Grameen Bank model. Today, 14 years later, Kashf has 152 branches nationwide, boasts 305,938 supported families, and operates its branches using a franchise model, allowing for closely managed growth. [...]

انصاف (اُس اندھی لڑکی کے نام جسے حدود میں سزا سنائ گئ تھی) مَیں اِس چھوٹے سے کمرے میں آزاد بھی ہوں، اور قید بھی ہوں اِس کمرے میں اک کھڑکی ہے جو چھت کے برابر اونچی ہے جب سورج ڈوبنے [...]

Only a few days ago, the LUBP published a detailed account of target killings of intellectuals, bureaucrats, security personnel, educationists, politicians, particularly of non-Baloch origin, by terrorists of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and other sectarian/jihadi groups. Today is a black day in the history of Balochistan. This date [...]

By Sadef A. Kully Thursday, 15 Apr, 2010 KARACHI: Although, it has been twenty something odd years since Dr. Kauser Saeed Khan has been participating in and witnessing women protest for equal rights, there still seems to be some fight left in her…probably more than just some. “We are not going to be quiet, or give up,” said Dr. [...]

What is utterly disgraceful is the fact that women have been effectively and comprehensively denied their right to education by both commission and omission. Nowhere is this fact more glaringly manifest than in FATA My recent discussion of tribal society and culture in the Daily Times evoked several e-mail responses by people curious to know [...]

At a time when the entire country was under the threat of militants, I not only brought the attention of the country to this video but also condemned it at the risk of my own life. Much to the disappointment of many “professional conspirators”, the video was made by the Taliban and not by me A year has passed since we heard the screams of a [...]

Arrested woman alleges being raped by Rangers * Uzma was caught carrying liquor at a picket near the Pak-India border * Medical examiner refusing to disclose whether Uzma was raped or not * Rangers SP claims woman was in police custody, denies rape allegations * SHO refutes claim, says Uzma was in police custody ‘only for a little [...]

Cross posted from Pak Tea House “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 [...]

* HRCP report says 3,021 people killed, 7,334 injured across country * 1,668 suicide cases reported ISLAMABAD: The 2009 report of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) released on Monday revealed that there was a sharp surge in violence against women and 1,401 women were murdered during 2009. Out of these, 647 were murdered in the [...]

In an article published in the January 2009 edition of Newsline, prominent Pakistani academic, scientist and social activist Pervez Hoodbhoy outlined the root causes of religious extremism in Pakistan and while doing so pointed out towards deliberate attempts of imposing an Arab culture upon the pluralistic South Asian traditions upheld by the [...]