Articles and letters may be edited for the purposes of clarity and space. They are published in good faith with a view to enlightening all the stakeholders. However, the contents of these writings may not necessarily match the views of the newspaper.
Men & women empowerment
Imagine soul-searching at the threshold or in the aftermath of the International Women’s Day (March 08)! Endeavoring to think beyond the set and standard managerial and professional practices in pursuit of a corporate, social and economic change for the real better?
Sharing gender empowerment for a change is a question of corporate best practices. It needs to allow corporate gurus to dwell upon the concept of men and women working together in private and public sectors. It is a matter of gender trust and confidence towards tension free and shared rewards.
While many less- privileged men and women are quietly sharing domestic budget through work or labor, it is at the helm of our corporate affairs there seems to be hue and cry on and for empowerment of both the genders.
Worse comes to worst when begums in business championing the cause of women emancipation, especially for rights of the girl child, controlled by gloom and dismay when a girl child is born to them and hysteric with celebration on birth of their baby boy. Duplicity or double standards?
It is supposed to be the so-called educated and the enlightened that are expected to rise over ego and self, understand it is sharing men and women empowerment that makes the world of success and happiness go round and round indeed.
Creativity, output and reward are 50 per cent less if female and male corporate leaders continue to harp on their individual tune of empowerment. But if both are combined in unity and strength, the net results lead to a better and brighter tomorrow for self, family and society. Dear gurus of change, the earlier the better and brighter please!
PARVEZ JAMIL
Karachi
PM address
to nation
A visibly irritated PM, following the defeat of his candidate Hafeez Sheikh who lost to YR Gillani for the Senate seat in Islamabad, while his other candidate Fouzia Arshad won comfortably securing 174 votes, addressed the nation and chose to criticize the ECP, which is supposed to be an independent constitutional institution. The constitution defines the role of ECP in the conduct of elections.
The PM himself is a product of the constitution, because he enjoys the confidence of the majority of National Assembly members, elected in elections conducted by ECP. He is therefore expected to be more discreet. Pakistan is a constitutional democracy and not a monarchy, nor a banana republic.
In 2019 the Chairman Senate managed to get a vote of confidence although the combined opposition had 66 votes and the government which supported Sanjrani had under 36 votes. The PM declared this, as a vote of conscience. If the PM has any complaints against ECP the forum is the Election Tribunal and the judiciary. Such outbursts in constitutional democratic countries are usually resorted to by the opposition.
Pakistan, a country created through a democratic political struggle, led by Quaid-i-Azam has ironically seen non-democratic rule for far too long a period. We suffered even the debacle and humiliation of surrender and disintegration in 1971, when junta refused to accept the verdict of the majority following the 1970 general election.
Parliament alone has the power to legislate by simple majority or amend the Constitution by two-thirds majority. The judiciary has powers to interpret the Constitution, pass judgment, but has no powers to either amend or legislate laws. Unfortunately, we have a chequered history, where dictators who usurped power through brute force have been illegally given the power to amend the Constitution citing Law of Necessity.
MALIK TARIQ ALI
Lahore
Gender equality
Every year on March 8, International Women’s Day is celebrated as a worldwide event to honour women’s accomplishments from political to social. The original aim of this day is to achieve full gender equality for women around the world which has still not been realised. Figures show that globally, women’s education, health and violence towards women is still worse than that of men. Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world.
Women are now highly appreciated for their role not only in domestic chores but globally also. There is a need to create awareness among them on their rights in family laws, social justice, women and child health and other vital women rights which can provide them secure and better living. “Every man needs a woman when his life is mess, because just like the game of chess, the queen protects the king.”
JUBEL D’CRUZ
Mumbai, India