MUCH is being written about the worse- ning law and order situation in Karachi, and rightly so, but another matter that needs urgent attention of the authorities but is being largely ignored is that of eve-teasing in the city.

No girl feels safe going outside as harassment on the streets is rapidly increasing with every passing day. Girls are not safe in shopping malls, parks, restaurants, streets, cinemas … anywhere. They are not safe even in hospitals when taking care of some family member there.

What happened at a recent food festival in the city was a true depiction of what life has unfortunately become in this city of lights which now stands engulfed by darkness.

It is apparently easy for society at large to ignore the verbal assault girls have to put up with in markets, on streets and at bus stops. The mental anguish, the psychological toll, the emotional trauma on the girls at the receiving end is hard to put in words. It is unfortunate that the police force has not time or inclination to make a move against the eve-teasers. There is a ‘boys will always be boys’ attitude towards this whole activity.

While the dip in law and order situation is partly explained by the rising poverty in society, what justification or rationalisation is there for eve-teasing? None. None at all. At least we can have more women police constables doing the rounds in markets across the city to send a signal to the eve-teasers that they may be caught. Something. Please.

Zeba
Karachi

Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2023