THIS is apropos of Amna Imam’s article “Women’s rights in Pakistan” (Jan 11). The writer has given some reasons as to why strong feminist movements have not gained momentum in Pakistan. She also identified some elements as responsible factors for usurpation of women’s rights of inheritance. To her, it is tradition, culture and religion that pave way for men to perpetrate the offence against women. Pakistan is a mix of different cultures and a close individual observation of all the major identical cultures shows that none among them allows a man to use offensive methods against a woman nor does any of them disallow woman of her right of property and choice.

From a sociological point of view, it is, in fact, a special mental development that empowers a man to be violent against woman. This mental development has a direct link with ‘external factors,’ including lack of proper education, extra-exposure to anti-sociability, lack of basic facilities, joblessness and socio-psycho problems such as anti-feministic approach, on the one hand, and financial woes, on the other.

These factors play their negative role so strongly that they leave permanent influence on the behaviour of a community, group or an individual who, in due course, become reluctant to concede the rights to their women and sometimes show this reluctance and agony by using violence against women.

Hence, the Pakistani culture as a whole should not be blamed for an individual’s act or a community’s malpractices against women.

The writer has also held religion responsible. Islam, in fact, plays a vital role in strengthening woman’s position and raising her status equal to man in society. Islam is a religion that allows women to take double rights of inheritance, something not found in any other religion.

A Muslim woman can have a share from her father’s property and after marriage she has a right in her husband’s property as well.

One should note that after getting married, her right of share in her father’s property remains intact. Surah Nisa, verses 11 and 12 of the Holy Quran bear a crystal clear testimony to this fact.

Thus it is proved the religion does not belittle women or allows a man to subjugate women and usurp their property. On the contrary, it allows a woman dual right of inheritance of property.

It is an approach developing from a collection of external anti-social factors that affect an individual or a group’s behaviour. Consequently, a woman is not only deprived of her rights but also treated as an inferior sex with continuous oppressiveness and subjugation in some cases at the hands of her masters.

To change this psyche, we need to completely change the social environment of those individuals, as well as communities, who are reportedly involved in violence against the physically weak gender and denying them their basic rights.

Although a thorough study on some anti-feminist traditions thriving in our rural and primitive cultures is needed, strict laws against those denying women their rights should immediately be framed.

SAHITO ZAHEER Kashmore