IN the recent Aurat March on International Women’s Day, 500 women marched for what they called the provision of equal rights for women. Women were holding posters. One of the posters read khana khud garam karlo. A video also went viral on social media in which a lady was bashing the anti-feminists. She was barely making any sense in that four-minute video.

Speaking for equal rights is fine; rather necessary. But how does khana garam karna give women freedom. It neither glorifies men nor does it ridicule women. It is not even related to freedom.

We must try to understand things as the way they are instead of confusing them. Such stunts will only complicate the matter even more and will divert attention from the real problem — equal rights.

There are indeed problems in Pakistan regarding women’s emancipation but khana garam karna is surely not one of them.

Adeed Mahar

Islamabad

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2018