Power to the women?

Sheikh Alauddin, known for arguing with female members of the assembly, was a picture of respect for women yesterday.

The automobile trader from Chunian asked the Punjab Assembly to empower women by introducing a bill similar to one passed by the Indonesian parliament recently. The bill allows that the salary of the husband be deposited in the wife’s bank accounts, if the latter wishes so. He called it “the most appropriate gift” that the assembly could give to women. He also pledged his support for such a bill, were it to be introduced in the house.

However, Alauddin did criticise urban women. They, he said, claimed to represent women from rural areas while they don’t know even how to do household chores. The rural woman, Alauddin said, was the one who needed economic empowerment. The MPA said that the proposed bill would challenge the “supremacy” of the urban woman. Alauddin vowed to move bill if the “begum sahiban” did not.

Later, reporters asked Sheikh Sahib about his change of heart. They wanted to know how he had transformed from someone whose verbal rows with Samina Kahwar Hayat are part of assembly record into a champion for women’s rights. The member replied, “I am a peaceful person but when someone throws their make-up at you, you have to react.” The opposition forced the treasury on the back foot on the last day of the legislative year by demanding the release of development funds –Rs8 million per member. PPP’s Zulfiqar Gondal protested against what he called “sheer deception” at the hands of three Rajputs: Rana Iqbal, Rana Mashhood and Rana Sanaullah.

Opposition members said that they were entitled to development funds. Law Minister Rana Sanaullah pointed out that the federal government had provided Rs50 million, from the Public Sector Development Programme, to each PPP MPA. If the PML-N members get their share from the prime minister, the chief minister would return the favour, he said. During the otherwise pointless debate it was revealed that the PML-N had not allotted any development funds to MPAs selected on seats reserved for women.

Keeping in mind PML-N leaders’ statements about women rights, it was hard to believe that they had been denied funds. So much for women empowerment!

Published in The Express Tribune, March 13^th, 2012.