THIS is with reference to the article ‘Not for sale’ (June 13), which presented a decent insight into the actual plight of women in Pakistan and the seriously deep disconnect and incoherence among the policy-framing apparatus, donor-driven activism, and the ground realities.

The said article rightly talked about a superficial approach that avoids confron- ting deep structural inequalities, and is characterised by weak accountability, institutional apathy, and policies that are nothing more than hollow promises.

What was particularly impressive about the article was the condemnation of elite-orchestrated activism that takes place in lavish dining halls. It rightly highlighted that what generally passes for ‘grassroots feminism’ is actually an eyewash, since it takes place in five-star hotels and at “lavish dinners detached from ordinary women’s needs”.

Such practices, while avowedly claiming to champion grassroots feminism, are in fact marked by a foundational inco-herence, as ordinary women are seldom part of such discussions.

The conspicuous absence of women from outside elite circles is the foundational flaw in all such activities. The terrible tragedy in this scenario — though hardly ever acknowledged — is that such perfor- mative policy change masks unresolved foundations, including the socio-structural, political, institutional, cultural, ideational and philosophical problems underpinning the plight of most women in Pakistan.

Qazi Muhammad Ahmad Qasmi
Chiniot

Published in Dawn, June 28th, 2025