Alas, were it up to the politicians of Pakistan, man’s evolutionary journey would have stopped before it even began. It escapes rational, independent, progressive and fearless thought how a bill that essentially offers the same protection to women as that enjoyed by men, i.e. the human right to freedom and protection against injury, could be so inexplicably detrimental to national or Islamic interests in the perception of Pakistan’s hugely entrenched and varied pressure groups. A parliamentary committee’s meeting held to create a consensus of all parties on the Domestic Violence Bill, first presented in 2009, witnessed a stiff deadlock led by Jamiat-i-Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) on April 4. Terming it against the teachings of Islam, they declared it an attempt to imitate the west and India. The main opposition party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) also opposed the bill, claiming that some external forces (perhaps known to the PML-N only) had stakes in the controversial bill. Unfortunately, even the Mutahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM), which had recently impressed even its opponents by holding a pro-women rally in Karachi, raised objections to the bill, further reducing the chances of its ratification by parliament. The said bill has become a contentious issue since it was tabled in the National Assembly. It lapsed, as the Senate kept mum over it for reasons that in no way match the true essence of Islam, which actually gives women freedom of choice in every matter concerning them. The objections of the JUI-F seem to be a product of their particular mindset embedded in patriarchy and the concept of male domination. How can legislation that favours women who have been victims of domestic violence — both mental and physical — be rejected on grounds rooted in bias against the west and India? This is literally xenophobia in action. On Friday, a group of women belonging to all schools of thought, including religious and liberal, gathered outside Parliament House to raise their voices in support of the said bill. They were encircled by another group of people comprising both men and women, who harassed them for their pro-women bill chants and slogans. The incident only highlights the need to introduce and enforce a law upholding women’s rights as soon as possible. *