Shumaila Umer Sumalani Baloch
The feminists and the far-right have never been able to arrive at a consensus on the issue of “protection” of women’s rights. The slogans each side raises come under fire from the other and do not allow the compromise to develop.
The interpretation of Sunnah and consequently,the laws proposed by the Islamists are criticized by the feminists. These laws are said to have been crafted keeping only the interests of men in mind. The feminists label them as absurd steps of misogynists to limit the rights given to women by the Quran and the Prophet. The rules proposed by feminists for protection of women are also subject to deep scrutiny by the “religious” groups. They are flaunted as evidence of ignorance of Islam and as examples of deviant behavior under depraved and immoral western influences.
The bill currently presented by Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) is considered by feminists to introduce legally sanctioned domestic violence in the country.
CII is denial about violence against women by saying that there was any violence or physical oppression of women at domestic level at least in Pakistan. Undoubtedly, the CII is turning a blind eye to the increasing rate of crimes against women in the country.The mushrooming number of women’s shelters across the country is a clear indication of the widespread increase in domestic violence.
Pakistani society is a blend of patriarchy, feudalism and tribalism where women are positioned at the lowest level. In such society, many registered and unregistered cases as like Mukhtara Mahee and Tasleem Solangi go unnoticed. Women are at high risk in such an oppressive environment. The current situation of domestic violence needs critical evaluation. The environment prevailing in Pakistan is un-sympathetic to women and is likely to deteriorate even further with the passage of the proposed bill. In such an environment, it might never be possible to raise the status of women to that granted to them by Allah and His Prophet. The situation can be remedied only if the country adopts the true teachings of the Quran and the Sunnah.
Writer is a PhD Scholar in University of Utara, Malaysia
