A case of double standards

The petition put before a Lahore court by a man who claims to be the husband of film actress Meera, demanding that she be subjected to a medical examination to determine her virginity, is completely absurd and is yet another example of the double standards and hypocrisy increasingly becoming rampant  in Pakistani society on matters related to women. The best that the court can do is to not entertain such a petition, not least because it is not as if the actress is an accused or a criminal who needs to prove her innocence. Furthermore, given the existing misogynistic climate prevailing in the country, it would seem that the objective of the petition is to embarrass and defame the defendant. Meera has already denied that she was ever married to the man and has claimed the whole matter is the consequence of a business dispute.

Our obsession with matters of morality is increasing. Women are, most often, the targets of this obsession. Indeed, no one cares very much as to whether or not a man has relations outside marriage or other aspects of his behaviour since one cannot recall ever such a case being brought before a court where a man was asked to prove anything. The focus is on women and their doings and our whole skewed concept on honour is bound with this. Women in the world of show business, like Meera or Veena Malik, are especially susceptible because they are held as torch-bearers of the nation’s honour (hence the outrage when Ms Malik becomes friendly with an Indian actor) and judged solely on that, mostly by right-wing elements in our political parties, media and society in general. The judge in the matter must demonstrat e wisdom, not play to the galleries, and ensure that the dignity of all parties in the case is protected. This would, in fact, seem to be the key issue in deciding a matter where the claim of one adult essentially stands against the other and little proof seems to exist either way.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 7^th, 2011.