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Another shameful incidence at Shakarparian
It is time to deal sternly, instead of mere condemnations, with this repetitive impulsive disorder by immoral men to harass women at public places on Independence Day.
The latest being at Islamabad’s Shakarparian where two foreign women accompanied by a male were molested.
Incidences of harassment and molesting were reported again at Lahore’s Minar-a-Pakistan, reminding us of what occurred in 2021.
There is a sickening tolerance for such immoral behaviour with women in this country. If the Federal and Provincial governments at helm in 2021 had taken action in accordance with law, they would not have recurred in 2022.
It was none other than a former PM who blamed the victims in 2021, for dressing in a provocative manner. Do we remember what was said that “Men Are Not Robots”. What more is needed to reinforce, that this tolerance for immorality has eroded our society.
Have we forgotten the incidence where a former President, while on official visit to US in September 2005 blamed women for planning their rape to seek immigration to Canada etc., when confronted with questions by a select audience in New York.
He was asked about state’s failure to curb incidences of rape like Mukhtaran Mai or Shazia Khalid in Balochistan. It goes way back to 1961, when Harold Macmillan was PM of UK, and at a private party hosted by Lord Astor at his swimming pool, Lord Profumo was found in his birthday suit with Christine Keeler and our own symbol of masculinity could not resist temptation and followed suit.
Lord Profumo had to resign, but not our President who headed the Islamic Republic. The decadence of Jinnah’s Pakistan started way back in the 60s and now it threatens society.
MALIK TARIQ ALI
Lahore
Feminism and urban geography
The more equitable and sustainable organization of the society is just like a reverie unless every section of the society participates for the due share both in the privileges and responsibilities. Gender like class and race is a cornerstone of social organization. Had the women not been bestowed with their due share in rampant urbanization, the sustainability would have been futile and precarious even if it would be achieved.
As consciousness and awareness has been evolving in the sphere of climate change, people are talking more about inequality, injustice and prejudices as the drivers which are raison d’etat for belated and reluctant response towards the eroding environment. The economic, political, social and environmental injustices augment the pace of climate change and at the same time, putting the spoke in the wheel of machinery entrusted to thwart global warming from becoming unable to sustain human life on the planet earth.
Women have always been systematically marginalized, but now as they are getting opportunities to heal the wounds of historical oppression and persecution, leaving no stone unturned. As it was not until the 1970s that the theories germane to feminism and gender entered into the field of geography. The feminist urban geographers are now critically examining at the large scale how different structures and relations of the inequality and injustice are mutually constituted.
This exploitation of differences in women’s experience of the urban centres often requires reconceptualising great feminist urban theory. As asserted by Nicolas Ginsburger in the article that since the turn of the twentieth century, women have existed in the French academic field of geography, and their presence increased dramatically after 1945 and the feminization trend accelerated in the 1960s.
ANSAR ABBAS
Lahore
Exorbitant prices
Pakistan is going through gruesome economic condition culminating in the spate of other malicious socio-politico upheavals in the country. A couple of weeks ago, if not months, the government increased the prices of daily commodities exorbitantly and plunged plebs into the utter apocalypse cataclysm, and told them to face the colossal bombs of inflation. Such macabre and hard-to-live circumstances enforce the masses to indulge in the illegal actions like robbery murders and so forth.
Though the economy of Pakistan is gradually recovering and is being applauded, yet the prices of daily use commodities are skyrocketing in the country. The unprecedented hike in the prices of things was the result of dwindling rupee and constant hike in the petroleum prices. However, things are getting better in the country as rupee is being constantly appreciated in the open market. Nevertheless, the Capitalist Mafia is not abating the prices of daily commodities despite depreciation of dollar in the global market and reduction in the oil price. Therefore, the government of Pakistan should look after the destitute masses of the country who are tolerating this massive inflation. It has been horrendous for the needy people of the country to elapse time in such precarious and lurid situation.
The government should give some sort of relief to the pauper section of the society in order to prevent them from indulging in the criminal acts. Additionally, if government is reducing prices, it must ensure the curtailment of prices in groceries. For this, there should be check and balance policy to monitor the shops and marts regularly. If caught selling things in undue prices, they must be penalized. Otherwise, if government remains fence-sitter, it will be of no dice to curtail the prices. Poor will bear the music and capitalist tycoons will benefit from this.
NASRULLAH KHADIM
Kandhkot, Sindh
