KARACHI:
This is with reference to Kamal Siddiqi’s article “Public Hanging” published in your newspaper on 2 August. He raises an important point that public hanging or capital punishment is generally not a good deterrent for violence against women. This is based on evidence from several countries.
Moreover, for a mother whose daughter has been brutally murdered, death for the murderer is perhaps too easy. But to debate justice is beyond the scope of this letter. The government should seriously consider devising a strategy that aims to change societal attitudes towards women through education and awareness. We should inculcate better values in our children. Support services such as a helplines and shelters for the victims of domestic violence need to be established. Furthermore, we need to sensitise healthcare workers to identify victims of domestic violence and create a mechanism whereby such cases are easily reported. Comments on television interviews are not sufficient. We need action and concrete steps to protect our women today and in the future.
Being an Islamic country does not automatically mean that women are being protected and Islamic ideals are being followed. Rather, the reality is to the contrary — Islamic ideals are not being followed and women are constantly being harassed. We need to work towards strengthening our laws and work at the grassroots level to bring about real change if we want to become a society that respects women.
Mariam Khan
Lahore
Published in The Express Tribune, August 7th, 2021.
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