Incident at a gallery
Shockingly, even now no action has been taken against the SHO despite an outcry from human rights activists who have loudly condemned his uncouth and entirely uncalled for actions. FIRs were registered against the curator under an obsolete act dealing with public immorality. We do not know if there is anything more behind the matter, but the Punjab government has certainly done little to redeem itself in the eyes of the people by failing to crack down against the SHO who would be well advised to tackle real crime rather than harassing people guilty of no wrongdoing.
The Nairang Gallery is intended to serve as a place where open discussion can take place somewhat on the pattern of the old Pak Tea House which has faded away. We need many such forums. Those who gathered at the location likely to be progressive and forward-looking. It seems our police, which have taken upon itself the kind of role the Taliban reserve for their vigilante squads, is determined to leave no space for such people in our society. As it is, they are falling into the category of a minority in an environment where a more conservative code has grown more and more dominant. But their rights need at all costs to be protected and action taken against the SHO for his uncouth behaviour.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 9th, 2011.
COMMENTS (19)
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@Realist.: A simple way to avoid these vulgar dances: don't watch them, but please do stop the people who enjoy these dances and stage shows.
These so called modernists, including Nayer who himself openly discloses his sexual orientation aren't true picture of an Islamic country. An Indian who is predicting that Pakistan is going in opposite direction but in India women will soon not find enough men to marry seeing the rapid promotion of homosexuality in that country. We can't afford such a "luxury" and freedom here when this country came into existence in a religious code of life. Those having any opposition to it must go back to time before partition.
In Pakistan we regularly witness people armed to the teeth with unlicensed weapons whizzing past the police on the road, dacoities and robberies that go unchecked (and on occasion aided and abetted by local SHOs), people being illegally tortured by the police and hear reports of women being raped in Police thanas, The list can go on and on.
So sheeshas have been declared illegal in Punjab. Isn't it marvellous that the Station House Officer of the Shadman Police Station took it upon himself to raid and detain the people suspected of this horrendous crime and charge them under an immorality ordinance. Bravo!
PS: Anyone who agrees with the last paragraph I have just written should go forthwith and get their heads examined
Things are still bad...but not as bad as during Zia ul Haq's era.
One can only lament the manner in which people with close and parochial mindset assume positions of authority. The incident at Nairang GalleryLahore is not the first one to take place but is in fact a continuation of systematic policy now pursued by people in power to impose their way of life and thinking on those who believe in healthy social and political discourse. But, the sad reality is, such unfortunate acts are not only tolerated but also patronized by vested interest groups. If is high time that the forces of darkness and retrogression are checked and defeated by collective effort of those who want to see Pakistan moving forward.
@realist What were you doing there? If it was so vulgar you shoudn't have gone there. Please don't come up with the excuse that you were ignorant. You went for the thrills. I've never been there but I cannot call it vulgar because I am not there to pass judgement on others without self introspection. As for the SHO, he yeilds a stick during the day but can he honestly tell us the last time he attended a private mujra.I wouldnt be surprised if was a few days back or even the same evening.
The writer of this article is just a kid wanting attention like many journalists that write crap so that people will visit the page.
This incident is but a fraction of cruelties done to women. It came to light because the woman belongs to an elite group. Think of millions of women who cannot step out of their homes and see day light from their windows. In the west even dogs are taken out for long walks because 'is is good for their health' you are told. Shadow of zia is too large to be eclipsed by minor lights. Good article. Anything in favor of pak woman is a word for sense. Perhaps an editorial banning more than one wives at one time?
unless you start killing these people they will get emboldened and the downward spiral will continue. Time for vigilante action
Well... This was an inhuman act by the S.H.O, But this is not how we can grow up progressively in the society by gathering at such places where prohibited & banned item were served like Sheesha & stuff like that. We need to create such gathering palces which could be bring a positive impact on society. "A lady with unsuitable clothing & associating with men" (We can not deny this fact Bcoz i personally observed such palces where this type of immoral things happens i.e Cafe & clubs.). We all need to present ourselves as a civilized nation & moreover as a gud muslim which would helpful to cater morality among all the muslims. we should not portray such action which strictly opposes our islam values.
Yet again ET does not fail to deliver. Dear whoever wrote this shoddy editorial, the incident at the gallery highlights how women are treated in our society, looked down upon for wearing sleeveless or even working. This was not, dear sirs, about big bad fundo Pakistan being a bully with the poor little elitists as your team is so fond of whining about. There is a life outside DHA and Clifton ET and it has bigger concerns than your difficult lives as a liberal minority.
@"when culture and free expression in numerous forms were ruthlessly crushed" SubhanAllah where do you find culture in the recent incident? And secondly the adopted 'secularism' will never be able to mix up in Islam (submission to the Will of Allah), if the editor really knows Pakistani Culture and Sincere and Peaceful Islam, otherwise odd, strange & chaotic events like these will continue to happen.
our girls are taught from birth that their bodies are sinful ,that the female is nothing but a temptress that seduces poor innocent full of emaan young men.our mothers indoctrinate our girls from birth that they have to hide their sinful bodies behind layer upon layer of black cloth.the men in our society forcefully assert at every opportunity that girls are best kept hidden behind hijabs,abayas and burkas and best of all our men think that women should be kept locked up behind the chaar diwari for all eternity.
all this hijab,abaya and burka etc. that have spread through our society must be stopped.making small girls of 6,7 wear hijabs is obscene and an affront to humanity.the parents making 7 year old girls wear hijabs need to get psychological help as their mentality reflects a deep seated hate of the female form.
@anonymous: Of course serving Sheesha gives a police officer grounds to assault women right? What was ET thinking!
In response to comment by "anonymous":
The article states quite clearly that the lady was booked under some public immorality ordinance. Or did the writer make this up?
If sheesha was the problem, my guess is she would have been booked under the relevant no smoking laws (which would have also been a case of selective justice but we could have pretended the SHO was starting a new campaign to end illegal smoking starting with this lady).
You never know what kind of environment was there. did you ever see the the condition of stage-shows & dancing over there ? being vulgar is a different issue. These dances are DISGUSTINGLY Vulgar. Even a very liberal person cannot watch it.
These terrorists of Rana Sana must be dealt with an iron fist. They are paid by public tax money and this is how they pay back the public? These are supposed to be paid servants of public and not the representatives of Taliban and other Whabi outfits. If the Punjab govt does not do anything, then the federal govt should fire these people right away and put them in jail for a long time. For the sake of argument even if there was something not legal still police does not have any right to go in and attack. They could have gone through a proper court order only to arrest and not beat up.
Present the true facts instead of deteriorating them for editorial interests. The gallery was raided because they were selling and maintaining Sheesha in their lounges, which has been banned across Punjab and Sindh. The art event was on its way when the raid occurred and all the performances were completed. So, do not create a hype after screaming burger aunties, as they always keep shouting for nothing....
as an indian, this gives me hope, pakistan is going in the opposite direction to progress and fast.