‘STOP killing of women in the name of honour,’ ‘Violence against women unacceptable,’ ‘Honour killing is a part of Pakistani feudal system’... read the banners, held by thousands of activists from various human rights organizations protesting against honour killing. In large groups, women (and a few good men) had started gathering at the China Chok (a popular starting point of any Islamabad protest) from various nooks and cronies of the city, shouting slogans against the government’s inaction to curb increasing violence against women, and marched towards the Parliament House. Other than the placards inscribed with the names of victims of honour killings, the protesters also held a dummy coffin of a victim of honour killings.
The activists warned the government that the Human Right Organizations would launch a country-wide movement if it failed to legislate an acceptable law against honour killing within six months. The rally was supported by names connected to human rights groups and prominent human rights leaders, such as Aitzaz Ahsan, Asma Jehangir, Senator Iqbal Haider, Mehnaz Rafi, Naeem Mirza, Barrister Mujeeb Peerzada, Dr Farzana Bari, Dr Mubashir, Mukhtaran Bibi and Justice (retd) Tariq Mehmood. A heavy contingent of police was employed all along the route and tried to control the angry protesters at various stops during their march.
Reaching the Parliament House, the protesters lashed out at President Musharraf who has declared honour killing as plain murder, but has hardly done anything significant to draft a law on it since October 1999. They vowed to continue struggle for repealing all discriminatory laws against women and said: “We have to fight against the people who want to keep women oppressed by advocating chaddar aur chardivari.”
CHANDNI CHOK UNDERPASS: The long wait for the underpass at the famous Chandni Chok on the Murree Road seems to be over, as the recent announcement by the Punjab government said it would be ‘Eid ka tohfa for the residents of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.’ Nearing completion, the underpass will give a new life to Rawalpindi’s popular Murree Road (known for its traffic jams) by minimizing the traffic load.
Initially, the shop owners and businessmen of the area around the Chandni Chok, especially who have been doing business on the Murree Road for years, had resisted the construction of the underpass and at no cost wanted to be removed from the site. According to an estimate, around 300 people doing business at or near the Chandni Chok have been directly affected by this project. Other than that, the residents have been facing acute problems of power breakdown and water shortage for a few months now. The Punjab government has tackled the situation by providing alternate places to the displaced shopkeepers and people affected by the construction of the underpass. Out of these, around 95 affectees have received compensation while the remaining are demanding an alternate arrangement for their business. The 27-metre long, nine-metre wide and five-metre high underpass will have four lanes, two each for people coming from and going to Islamabad.
DABIR AT KHAAS: Last week, the couple famous for making ceramic art, Dabir Ahmed and his wife Talat, visited Islamabad from Lahore at the opening of a calligraphy exhibition by Dabir at the Khaas Art Gallery. Teaching design at the National College of Arts and head of the Ceramics Department, Dabir’s innovative calligraphy in ceramics is quite creative, attractive and very decorative. Other than calligraphy, the gallery also displayed some of his pottery, which the viewers thoroughly admired.
Ceramic is the oldest form of art and craft that can still be found in the museums all round the world. Dabir says his work is a combination of art, craft and science. “Sometimes it’s more of a science than art, and sometimes it’s entirely a craft.”
Clay, he says, has its limitations. “We need to use the paint that would behave the way we desire at extreme temperatures of the kilns during the baking process. And yet, one does not know the outcome. Unlike the painting on canvas, where you can see the result of every stroke and shade and change it accordingly, a ceramic piece once in the kiln is out of your control. Opening the door to the kiln is the point where you come to know the result of your labour,” he explained the process.
‘STOP killing of women in the name of honour,’ ‘Violence against women unacceptable,’ ‘Honour killing is a part of Pakistani feudal system’... read the banners, held by thousands of activists from various human rights organizations protesting against honour killing. In large groups, women (and a few good men) had started gathering at the China Chok (a popular starting point of any Islamabad protest) from various nooks and cronies of the city, shouting slogans against the government’s inaction to curb increasing violence against women, and marched towards the Parliament House. Other than the placards inscribed with the names of victims of honour killings, the protesters also held a dummy coffin of a victim of honour killings.
