KARACHI, May 23: Major theories of Feminism — Marxist and Liberal feminism were elucidated by noted researcher Dr Tahera Khan at Irteqa Institute of Social Sciences on Sunday. Dr Khan was formally associated with the University of Karachi and the Aga Khan Education Foundation.

The liberal feminists demand equal rights for women and believe that the same can be obtained through reforms and laws, the Marxists hold the state responsible for the poor lot of women. Marxists believe in a deep study of history from day one of the civilization to present times and find out the root causes of women’s subjugation. Unlike the liberals who do not confront the state on women’s issue, the Marxists challenge the state and believe that women can not be liberated without a structural change.

Dr Tahera Khan, who was recently on a study tour in the US, said that commercialization rather blatant exploitation of women in the West was deplorable. The states there were not working in favour of women. Even liberal feminists were selective in raising their voice of protest in cases of rape.

In Pakistan, women were the victim of jirga system and parallel judicial systems -—Civil Courts, Shareat Court, Anti-Terrorist Court, Punchaet and Jirga— at times passing judgements contradicting each other.

At the time when there were no codified laws in Sindh, Charles Napier, the British governor in 1842-43 authorized the landlords and the influential people of the area to maintain law and order and deal with the common people in their own way, keeping the interests of the British rulers high. With the passage of time, the landlords became more powerful although the jirga system in the presence of civil laws and modern judicial system had lost its validity and should have been abolished much earlier, Dr Khan said.

Looking into history, one finds that woman with the passage of time was made a commodity, being sold and given in ransom like cattle and other commodities. In the industrial society, she was a victim of capitalist system. Her facial beauty and body were being exploited commercially.

Quoting the example of a film-star who was very much in the news these days and reported to have said that she could use her body the way she liked, Dr Khan reminded that in the capitalist system, she was already been exploited and sadly she did not realize it like all other women in similar situation. It was, however, unfortunate that non-issues as in case of the actress were being raised to side track the real issues confronting the common people.

About the role of multinational corporations and the donor agencies in the exploitation of the country’s material resources, Dr Khan said that they were not the same and worked independently although at times they worked together. The donors behaved like removing the lid when it was too steamy inside their plan to keep the system intact, Dr Tahera Khan concluded.

Prof Naseer presided over the proceedings. —HA