THIS is with reference to the article written by Rafia Zakaria, “Lip service to equality” (July 7) in which she has argued for providing equality to women as well as the need for educating them.

She has quoted a survey in her article which shows that 79 per cent of Pakistanis support equality for women. The question arises as to why would women claim equal respect as men when Islam has made men the protectors of women; without a doubt, suggesting that women should be more respected than men.

Sheikh Adil Kalbani (Imam of Haram) in his interview rightly asks why women and women's right organisations restrict the role of women in society to being allowed to drive a car.

Women are a significant part of society. The anti-Islamist forces believe that if they can place women socially equal to men and remove the real spirit of making women more respectable, then they have nothing to fear from such societies which are now on the brink of self-destruction.

Unfortunately, many Muslim women's rights organisations and the so-called 'broad-minded people' are helping these forces in their cause.

Secondly, the writer also argues that women must be educated so that they can work at places where men dominate.

My question is that if a woman says she doesn't want to work, how would these people motivate her to get education?

Once again the objective here is very low. Women should not only be educated to work in prestigious organisations but should also aim at building society as a daughter, sister, mother or wife.

It is worth emphasising here that an uneducated man may only hurt himself in most cases; however, an uneducated woman would not only hurt herself, but would also be directly affecting a future generation.

HUZAIFA SAADAT
Lahore