This is in response to Aisha Sarwari’s article titled ‘Understanding consent’ published in this newspaper
LAHORE: This is in response to Aisha Sarwari’s article titled ‘Understanding consent’ published in this newspaper on October 29th. Among the ongoing debate on social media on the Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s series of tweets, Ms Sarwari’s voice comes as hope that there are still wise people in Pakistan. Even though in this age and day there should not be a need to make people understand what does or does not constitute harassment, Sarwari still chose to draw attention towards the word and inform people. She also rightly criticised the misogyny of the privileged upper-class men but when it comes to protecting their own they are the first to show benevolent behaviour.
Ms Sarwari writes, “What saddens me profoundly is the urbanised misogyny of our educated males who have commented on this issue as if their fraternity is and has always reminded untarnished, except for this one unwarranted accusation by Sharmeen.” Men are baffled by these allegations and their consequences because for the first time, perhaps, in Pakistan they have been held accountable for their misconduct, and that worries them. For years, men have been getting away with much worse and accountability for something as minimal as this makes it hard for them to digest it.
But the good thing is irrespective of what narrative one believes in and which side one is on, at least there is a widespread discourse on the subject. That’s definitely a way ahead.
Shireen Akmal
Published in The Express Tribune, November 1st, 2017.
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