A niche for presswomen long overdue

Serving as a dedicated professional and cultural hub for journalists within a city, press clubs are established in prominent urban centres across Pakistan, including Lahore, Islamabad, Quetta, Peshawar, Abbottabad, Faisalabad, Hyderabad, and Mirpurkhas. Among these, the largest and most significant press club is situated in Karachi.

The 133-year-old double-storeyed Victorian-style building on Sarwar Shaheed Road that houses the Karachi Press Club (KPC), was known as Dinshaw House named after Seth Eduljee Dinshaw, a Parsi philanthropist and the largest landowner of Karachi during British Colonial rule. In 1890, it was built as a residence on an area of about one acre, but in 1958, the press club was established here. It was rented from Zakariya Saya, a well-known trader of the city, and Prince Karim Aga Khan paid the rent.

In 1993, when the late Benazir Bhutto became the Prime Minister, a tri-party agreement was signed between the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, KPC, and Saya, allowing the building to retain its identity as KPC.

A dedicated group of journalists found its initial leadership under the inaugural president, I.H. Burney, who guided the club in its early pursuits. Presently, the KPC stands as a prestigious institution with a membership exceeding 1,800 active journalists from both electronic and print media, reflecting its significant stature in the field. Since its inception, annual elections have been a tradition at KPC, taking place on the last Saturday of December. The KPC governing body, consisting of 12 members, including the President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Joint Secretary, and seven additional members, manages the club's affairs.

Recently, the Professor Shahida Qazi Women Complex, an exclusive women-only space, was inaugurated at KPC, a remarkable achievement by the present governing body that was elected unopposed last year comprising 11 male and one female member.

Shoaib Ahmed, the Secretary of the governing body and a news producer at News One, and Kulsoom Jahan, an active governing body member and a sports journalist at the Jang media group spoke to The Express Tribune, about how their idea of an exclusive women’s space at KPC materialised in just seven months.

“There has always been a women’s common room at KPC,” Kulsoom pointed out.

“But there were no facilities available there. Over time, we received complaints from women that it was small and narrow, had poor light and ventilation, and was more like a waiting room. If a family with purdah-observant women came to the press club, they had to sit with male members everywhere because there is always some activity such as a press conference or workshop taking place. Women reporters and journalists work all day and have to file news before their deadlines, but when they got here, the systems were occupied by male journalists, and there was no proper place for them to relax while they waited,” she added.

While KPC provides extensive facilities for its members and their families, including several reasonably priced dining areas offering quality food, an ATM, a clinic, a library, a digital lab, a gymnasium, and a dedicated children's play area, there was only a small space allocated to as restroom for women, due to space constraints.

“It is true that women journalists would have to wait for their turn in the digital lab, which was always occupied by male photographers and cameramen working with heavy and time-consuming files,” says Shoaib, in agreement with Kulsoom. “So, women were unable to work as they came for a limited time. Moreover, in the TV hall, men would be watching TV, while some male members would nod off on the couches so women didn’t really have anywhere to relax in privacy in their own space.”

Since the gym allotted only two hours for women, it was not possible for women to use the gym facility conveniently because of the time limit. “We clearly felt that there was a pressing need to address these issues highlighted by women members,” says Kulsoom.

Apart from the convenience, comfort, and privacy of women members, members’ families who sometimes come from the other end of the city for work outside KPC or at KPC, such as special arrangements for CNIC and driving license or medical camps organised here were also taken into consideration.

“Sometimes, they have to spend a few hours at KPC and need a place to rest or hang out,” she explains. “But they are inconvenienced because the club is swarming with male members. The solution was to facilitate them with a place where they could spend time comfortably, watch TV, eat, pray or use the gym.”

“Whether it is about being at KPC or active participation and representation in the programmes, functions, and events being held here,” says Shoaib. “There is no gender discrimination or differentiation at any level. Men and women are treated equally and respectfully. Every facility here is for all members irrespective of gender. The problems confronted by women members were purely because of insufficient space or badly distributed space.”

In the past, Guinevere David and Shazia Hasan have been vice presidents of KPC, while several other women journalists including Khusheed Hyder, Hina Mahgul Rind, Soofia Yazdani, Ghazala Fasih, Bilquis Jahan, Shabana Shafiq, Nargis Khanum and Beena Khan have been members of the governing body.

“Despite being outnumbered by male members, women feel confident, safe, and secure in the KPC environment to roam around freely and participate in the programmes,” says a woman member who often frequents the club. “We share a great camaraderie here irrespective of gender. In fact, women have more clout or at least they feel that way in an environment of utmost respect and importance!”

Out of about a total of 1,800 club members presently, only 155 are women. “Earlier, the numbers were lower,” says Shoaib. “Since 2018, the number of young journalists has increased, especially from electronic media. Not only have we been considering providing them with physical space, but also the Women Working Committee of the governing body which requires space for meetings as the boardroom and conference hall are often busy with activities.”

With the governing body in agreement on the ambitious initiative of building a women's complex, the idea began to shape up.

“Initially, we thought we would give the women journalists their digital lab-cum-studio,” shares Shoaib. “Then we thought of making a row of separate restrooms. Previously, where the women’s changing rooms were built on the far end of their gym, there used to be a dirty, narrow lane with garbage stacked several feet high.”

When the cost of the project was estimated to be around Rs 80 lacs, it was realised that donors would have to be contacted to support the project.

Clash of visions

Interestingly, none of the male members of the governing body with just one woman member opposed the idea of a women-only space.

“While outside KPC, there was a positive response, internally we met with some opposition,” shares Shoaib. “We received a donation of Rs 25 lakhs from Aqeel Karim Dhedhi and Rs 10 lacs from Hanif Gauhar. We spoke to Syed Jamshed Ahmed, the CEO of PharmEvo, a pharmaceutical company that has actively participated with KPC in several projects, helping to arrange medical camps and social activities in the past. Mr Ahmed told us that PharmEvo would bear the cost of the gymnasium for women.”

The governing body had to tackle some opposition from certain quarters of the press club in regard to the women’s complex project that Shoaib was reluctant to reveal. “We were asked how many women there are,” he says. “I said 155 and they asked me out of 155 women, how many actually come to KPC? My reply was, hardly a few. There were debates and arguments as to why a huge investment was being made while women members are far and few who only come to the club for a bit, have tea or food and leave. They argued if women really needed representation. We insisted that if we create the right environment for them, they will come.”

Shoaib would substantiate his argument with the fact that instead of welfare or development funds, donations would be sought and used for the complex. To justify and validate the need for a women-only space, the governing body began to focus on creating a pull to encourage women members and families to come to KPC.

Initiatives to engage and empower

“We conducted professional workshops for women journalists as well as on women-specific issues from budgeting to breast cancer,” elaborated Kulsoom. “Evenings with senior journalists such as Shamim Akhtar and Razia Sultana were organised. Free henna application was organised on Chand Raat. We completely renovated the Saturday night weekly family barbeque from ambience to the menu and crockery, and presently it is a huge success. Gradually, our efforts created a much bigger presence of women not just frequenting KPC but also spending time here at all hours.”

Work on the women’s complex began in May this year. “A 3D map was designed in June, and we marketed the idea through July,” says Shoaib. “The construction began in August, in the first week of December, the Rs50-lakh project materialised as the 25x44 sq-ft women’s complex, and the inauguration took place.

A gift to Professor Shahida Qazi

The women’s complex was dedicated to the late Professor Shahida Qazi, one of the first women print journalists. “She was not only my teacher but has taught several other KPC members, and newsmen and women who head news channels, news desks, and mass communication departments today,” shares Shoaib.

“In March this year, when we launched her book at KPC, it occurred to me that an individual who has nurtured and contributed a multitude of aspiring journalists to the news industry undoubtedly merits more than just recognition. Such a person at least deserves a lifetime membership and a dedicated acknowledgment to ensure that their name is forever remembered for their invaluable contributions. Painted in soothing hues, and furnished on modern lines, apart from a TV lounge with luxurious couches, the complex offers PCs and workstations, a prayer room, a gym that comes with showers, lockers, changing rooms, and a women instructor, et al. In the pipeline is a daycare for children of women journalists.

For YouTubers and Vloggers, the workstations in the women’s wing will enable them to comfortably and conveniently record and edit their videos at KPC. The women’s wing offers a safe, private, exclusive space for women members of KPC and the visiting families of all members, especially in the backdrop of a huge, bustling city where women journalists often use public transport, commute long distances, and there are no public restrooms or public spaces where women can rest or feel safe unless they end up spending a substantial amount of money to chill or to be able to use the restroom at a restaurant or café.

Concludes a beaming Kulsoom, “A precedent has been set that KPC belongs to newswomen as much as it belongs to newsmen."