Thursday, October 29, 2015

>"CONSERVATISM AND PAKISTANI WOMEN"


BY
DR.ZAMURRAD AWAN (ASSISTANT PROFESSOR F.C UNIVERSITY LAHORE) PUBLISHED IN DAILY NEWSPAPER "JEHAN PAKISTAN, OCTOBER 29, 2015


In age of modernism, some aspects of Pakistani society are still under the strict domination of traditional and conservative norms and controls. For example gender discrimination. Although women have excelled globally in nearly every field but in Pakistan, they are still struggling for their existence. The main hurdle being the misinterpretation of religion along with socio-cultural traditions. It becomes more complicated when both are amalgamated in such a manner that at times it becomes nearly impossible to make a distinction between the two. Although, some sections of Pakistani females are able to receive education and acquire good jobs, nonetheless in family matters they are still helpless because of socio-cultural pressures under the guise of one flimsy pretext or the other. It is done keeping aside all relevant verses and practices of Prophet (PBUH), which emphasize on justified treatment with female in all relationships. Today, education and technology has opened up new avenues for women and they are, if given a chance, capable to raise their voice against all kinds of gender related injustices of the society. Nevertheless, individual spaces of women are yet to be recognized, as females are still known with tags of being single, married, divorced or widowed. Pakistani women can attain their rightful place, only when the mothers will start treating their daughters equal with sons, at home by providing them sense of belonging, instead of constantly reminding them that their ultimate home is some unknown household and the one they are born in and brought up, with impermeable memories.