THIS is apropos of Amna Imam’s article “Women’s rights
in Pakistan” (Jan 11). The writer has given some reasons as to why
strong feminist movements have not gained momentum in Pakistan. She also
identified some elements as responsible factors for usurpation of
women’s rights of inheritance. To her, it is tradition, culture and
religion that pave way for men to perpetrate the offence against women.
Pakistan is a mix of different cultures and a close individual
observation of all the major identical cultures shows that none among
them allows a man to use offensive methods against a woman nor does any
of them disallow woman of her right of property and choice.
From a sociological point of view, it is, in fact, a special mental
development that empowers a man to be violent against woman. This mental
development has a direct link with ‘external factors,’ including lack
of proper education, extra-exposure to anti-sociability, lack of basic
facilities, joblessness and socio-psycho problems such as
anti-feministic approach, on the one hand, and financial woes, on the
other.
These factors play their negative role so strongly that they leave
permanent influence on the behaviour of a community, group or an
individual who, in due course, become reluctant to concede the rights to
their women and sometimes show this reluctance and agony by using
violence against women.
Hence, the Pakistani culture as a whole should not be blamed for an
individual’s act or a community’s malpractices against women.
The writer has also held religion responsible. Islam, in fact, plays a
vital role in strengthening woman’s position and raising her status
equal to man in society. Islam is a religion that allows women to take
double rights of inheritance, something not found in any other religion.
A Muslim woman can have a share from her father’s property and after marriage she has a right in her husband’s property as well.
One should note that after getting married, her right of share in her
father’s property remains intact. Surah Nisa, verses 11 and 12 of the
Holy Quran bear a crystal clear testimony to this fact.
Thus it is proved the religion does not belittle women or allows a
man to subjugate women and usurp their property. On the contrary, it
allows a woman dual right of inheritance of property.
It is an approach developing from a collection of external
anti-social factors that affect an individual or a group’s behaviour.
Consequently, a woman is not only deprived of her rights but also
treated as an inferior sex with continuous oppressiveness and
subjugation in some cases at the hands of her masters.
To change this psyche, we need to completely change the social
environment of those individuals, as well as communities, who are
reportedly involved in violence against the physically weak gender and
denying them their basic rights.
Although a thorough study on some anti-feminist traditions thriving
in our rural and primitive cultures is needed, strict laws against those
denying women their rights should immediately be framed.
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