KARACHI: Notwithstanding the rhetoric on the occasions like the international women’s day (IWD), the case of Pakistani female scientist Dr Aafia Siddiqui shows what the harsh realities of the real world were and how the governments tolerate and patronise the crime of human trafficking, noted the speakers of a demo in front of the Karachi Press Club (KPC) on Wednesday.
The demo was arranged by the National Women Alliance, an alliance of different political and civil society organizations. Dr Aafia, a MIT-trained Pakistani neuroscientist, was kidnapped from Karachi along with her three children in March 2003 and was trafficked to Afghanistan, claim the right activists. The case of Aafia is perhaps the only case of human trafficking in which the victim, herself, is criminalised.
Addressing the demo, Aafia Movement Pakistan leader and noted Neuro Physician Dr Fowzia Siddiqui asked that in the Islamic society’s women enjoy deep respect then why it needs to celebrate a day for women’s rights. She said Islam teaches us that a daughter is a blessing, not shame. She said Islam teaches that the Paradise lies under the feet of mothers. Wife is an equal partner to be loved and cherished. Rape is an unforgiving crime and abuse is unacceptable.
She said the solution to the issues faced by the women today may not be found in women’s day programs but in the real teachings of Islam.
Fowzia said that on the occasion of the international women’s day, the message to the whole world is that Aafia is the name of a person, who has braved every sort of anti-women atrocities: she was kidnapped, became victim of human trafficking, tortured, her minor children were snatched from her, she was humiliated, injured, jailed and sentenced in a fabricated case, which itself is the worst example of miscarriage of justice. She was deprived of the right of defence during her so-called trial. For last 14 years she has been braving a solitary confinement. Fowzia said in the written history there may not be other worse example of the anti-women atrocities.
She said if these atrocities were meted out to some western woman, or to a daughter of a Pakistani prime minister, there would have been much hue and cry. She said if a western woman had braved such anti-human atrocities today she would be the heroine of her country. She said the apathy of Pakistani politicians in the case of Dr Aafia Siddiqui shows their hypocrisy, narrow vision and self-serving agendas.
She said she wants to dedicate the international women’s day to Dr Aafia, not just to highlight her victimisation, but to salute her courage which shows that the core human values of bravery.