KARACHI:
Apropos the Shaista Pervaiz Malik’s letter titled ‘PM’s remarks’, I share the same opinions as the honourable MNA. The Prime Minister’s remarks made in response to a caller’s question on the measures taken by his government to address the rising incidences of rape were highly unsettling and disturbing.
As part of his answer, citing the reasons behind such crimes, the PM sadly came across as a rape apologist by attributing the surge on increasing obscenity and women not dressing modestly keeping in accordance with their Muslim faith. He preached females to observe purdah. This would, in his opinion, curb male temptation as not all of them had the willpower to control their natural urges. These remarks have rightly evoked resentment amongst the citizenry especially human rights groups who have demanded an apology for such callous remarks. These remarks are indeed irresponsible considering Pakistan’s ranking as one of the most the dangerous countries in the world for women in terms of safety. At least 11 rape cases are reported in the country every day, according to official statistics, with a staggeringly low conviction rate of 0.3%. Minor girls and boys are brutally raped, sodomised and murdered; female corpses pulled out from graves and desecrated by mentally sick predators; and burqa-clad females dressed from head to toe continue to face harassment out in the open.
Blaming vulgarity and enticing behaviour inspired by the West, as the PM so casually put it, cannot serve as a justification for such heinous crimes which are in fact crimes of power abuse. It is not solely a woman’s responsibility to lower her gaze and guard her body in order to regulate a man’s behaviour. Men are as much accountable for their individual conduct and are required to practise modesty and conduct themselves responsibly. The ultimate religious goal is to maintain a wholesome and stable society.
Salma Tahir
Lahore
Published in The Express Tribune, April 18th, 2021.
Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.
