Welcome to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan where women do not enjoy the right to survive and are deemed easy prey for a neverending supply of misogynistic vultures. There’s not an iota of newness to what transpired in Shangla except for the fact that the victim, very surprisingly, decided to act against the commonplace wisdom and approach the law enforcement authorities with allegations of sexual harassment.
What’s even more rare is how the Nadra management immediately responded with a suspension order, fact-finding inquiry and cooperation with the local jirga to address their grievances. But while we should appreciate a government entity for realising its responsibility and only hope that other organisations follow suit in criminalising any such behaviour that threatens female safety, it cannot be denied that harassment is an isolated phenomenon.
Replace the said official with any man (both inside and outside the comfort of chadar and char deewari) and biometric verification with any other concocted excuse to gain access and you will come across the horrifying nightmares braved by an overwhelming 93 per cent of women walking down the streets in Pakistan. As women step out into the public sphere in Pakistan, they are met with a crippling absence of protection. Whether it’s walking down the street, taking public transportation, or even just going about their daily lives, women are constantly on guard; fearing for their safety. While police may have jumped to action for now and the accused put behind bars, the sense of impunity that encouraged him to act on his brazen instincts is a stark reminder of the vulnerability that women face in this country.
Because the justice system is slow and programmed for biases against women, perpetrators tend to enjoy backdoor exits or (in the rarest of cases), a slap on the wrist. The jury is still out on whether these punishments pertain to their crime or the fact that they did not scare the victim into submission. Although the legal definitions and prescribed standards mirror those followed by the champions of the free world, why is it that a man would think twice before jumping on a woman in the West or even our brother nations in the Middle East but here, everything about her (clothes, appearance, expressions, profession) is believed to be an open invitation? Would it be safe to assume then that every Pakistani woman is forced to carry the burden of her gender day in and day out as she strives to make her life meaningful in a society that is not yet ready to embrace her as an equal? *