MANY societies try to improve their quality of life. Some are successful in their efforts while others face difficulties. The main impediments to improvement include some outdated practices that ought to be uprooted. It can take centuries to convince people that certain traditions or practices are no longer viable. Take slavery. Even today, though the world thinks it has eradicated the practice, people still live in bondage in many areas.
Usually, practices entrenched in people’s minds do not fade away unless concerted efforts are made. In centuries past, it was common in some cultures to give away females in exchange for cattle or food. Sati, the Hindu tradition of burning the widow alive on the funeral pyre of her husband, was prevalent until stopped during the British Raj.
For the smooth running of society, the process of improving well-being and the quality of life for individuals and communities continues through enhanced social structures, legislation, relationships, and institutions. It focuses on issues such as education, healthcare, and the quality of life. The aim is to create an inclusive society that promotes social justice and cohesion. Thus, a country’s prospects hinge on eradicating anti-people practices that have affected weaker segments such as women more than any other section of society.
Today, Pakistan is plagued by many strange practices that also violate human rights. The practices are usually driven by anti-women feelings. The worst part is that they are accepted by many in society. The cause of these ingrained ills in our system is perhaps the result of an antediluvian mindset, which believes that a woman is a saleable commodity. This goes against the teachings of Islam. Allah says in the Holy Quran: “O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single soul… .” (4:1)
We are plagued by customs that violate human rights.
And yet, in many households, the birth of a daughter is not welcomed. When the daughter grows up, the parents impose strict restrictions on her. She cannot go outside to play and her movements remain under watch. When the girl is about to get married, the demands of the groom’s family for dowry can be a terrifying ordeal for her family. Society needs to free itself from such a rigid and retrogressive mindset.
Among the long list of anti-social practices, the issue of child marriage is often highlighted by the media. It is a grave social issue that violates a girl’s rights and undermines the very fabric of society. Its harmful outcome extends beyond the lives of the girls affected, and has an adverse impact on entire communities and economies. But the most immediate and devastating impact of child marriage is on the personal growth and well-being of underage girls.
Girls suffer far more than boys in this regard, with many being married off to much older men by their families in line with strange customs or because of economic stress. Marriage at a tender age robs girls of their childhood and innocence, forcing them into responsibilities that they are neither mentally nor emotionally prepared for.
Similarly, the practice of so-called honour killing is devastating. It involves the murder of a family member — mostly women and girls — by their male relatives who believe the victim has brought shame or ‘dishonour’ to the family, often by marrying of their own free will. The violence is typically tied to primitive anti-women codes and social traditions, which need to be uprooted.
Moreover, practices such as wani and swara, predominant in Pakistan’s tribal cultures, involve giving away minor girls or women to settle bloody disputes. This needs to be stopped altogether. As does the practice of ‘marriage’ with the Holy Quran. Possession of her due share in inheritance is the most effective way to make a woman financially secure. Furthermore, girls’ education should be presented as a religious obligation; in fact, the need for it should be amplified from all platforms.
Regressive practices must be termed national handicaps in the process of development. A country cannot hope to progress when such a large number of harmful and outdated practices exist, which deny education, healthcare, and development to a vast number of citizens.
Though laws banning many of these outdated practices exist, they need strict enforcement. Thus, the real challenge lies in their implementation, which remains weak and inconsistent. In places, it is virtually non-existent. If these scourges are to be eradicated, it requires more than lip service. It demands political will, community engagement, and above all, recognition that progress cannot coexist with practices that hurt society’s development. The change must begin now, before another generation is lost to silence.
The writer is an educationist with an interest in religion.
Published in Dawn, October 23rd, 2026
