KARACHI, March 8: Various non-governmental organisations observed the Women’s Day on Friday by, in one case, staging a demonstration in front of the Karachi Press Club and, in another, holding a Mushaira, followed by a music programme, at the Hindu Gymkhana.
The demonstration was organized jointly by Amnesty International, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, PILER, YWCA, Idara-i-Amn-o-Insaf, WAR, Aurat Foundation, All-Karachi Garments and Hosiery Association, Pakistan Fisher-Folk Forum, Takhleeq Foundation, National Art Workshop, and National Art Organization.
The Mushaira was organized by the Aurat Foundation, HRCP, Panah Trust, Shirkatgah, Women’s Action Forum, Working Women’s Association and Interflow Public Service Division.
At the demonstration, women participants, holding banners and placards, demanded repeal of discriminatory laws against women. A large banner showing a woman cutting her chains was also on display.
Talking to journalists, women representatives of different organizations observed that a large number of working women contributed immensely to the national economy. They complained that women did not get the minimum wages promised by the government and quite often they were deprived even of the wages being given to their male counterparts.
They said sexual harassment — psychological or physical — in society in general and at workplaces in particular was one of the worst experiences a woman had to go through. They deplored that there was no government policy against sexual harassment.
Referring to women prisoners, they said women prisoners suffered a lot because of difficult procedures and more importantly because of discriminatory laws.
Recalling an inquiry commission’s report published in 1997 — which had covered almost all important aspects of women’s lives in the country — they urged the government to implement the report’s recommendations which would give an opportunity to the government to redress the problems of about half of the population.
They said that Pakistan had ratified the CEDAW on March 12, 1996, and become a state party to the treaty. Unfortunately, since then no steps had been taken by any government to meet the obligations to enforce the treaty, they lamented.
MUSHAIRA: At the literary gathering, an Inshaiya, titled Bint-i-Hawa: aurat ka urooj-o-zawal, was read out by Areba. She spoke about various historical phases women had gone through.
Zahrah Nigah’s poem about a 13-year-old Afghan child, Gul Badshah, drew great applause from the audience. Conceding that the poem was not directly related to the Women’s Day, she contended that it was about an issue that concerned both men and women.
Roughly paraphrased, the poem is about the story of Gul Badshah who says that his nameless and faceless mother died because she could not get medicines on time. His father, 32-year- old Zartaj Gul, buried her in Burqa because he thought she should observe Purdah from Munkir Nakir. His father was killed by the bullets fired by his brother who had joined the Northern Alliance. The boy says that being a martyred, his father is actually alive, adding that his life, however, is worse than death.
Fatima Hasan read out her poem Meri Beti Chalna Seekh Gaey.
Nasira Zuberi read out a ghazal in which she challenged the hackneyed notions of allegiance.
Zahrah, Mehr Taj, Naureen, Anis Haroon, Attiya Dawood, Azra Abbas and Tanvir Anjum also read out her poems.
The Mushaira was followed by a musical programme where vocalist Mehnaz sang songs.