March 31, 2019

Pakistan’s denial of devastating women safety record

located:	Pakistan
editor:	Shadi Khan Saif

Yet another gruesome act of sexual abuse against a woman in Pakistan has taken place this month (by none other than her husband) has exposed the ugly side of a society ranked among the five worst countries for women's rights and safety in the world.

Unable to make headlines in the local media – which is too occupied in covering the political wrangling – the incident of a married woman being physically and mentally tortured by her husband and his friends took place in the country’s second biggest city of Lahore.

In a viral social media video, the victim Asma Aziz, tells the world how her husband took her clothes off in front of his employees, shaved her hair off and burned it. She said she was bound by a pipe and hung from the fan. As per her case, the suffering did not end here, as the police asked for bribe instead of providing her with support and conducting a medical examination.

Important to remember is that this is not an isolated rare incident in a country of some 200 million. In fact, this incident is mirrored by identical reports emerging from all rural corners of the nation, and even major cities that are perceived to be safe and sound for women and girls. According to data collected in 2016, 26.8 percent of Pakistani women said they have experienced intimate partner violence. 

Only a few months have passed since the rape and murder of the seven-year-old ZainabAnsari in Pakistan – a story that broke so many hearts and wounded many more souls. But, identical acts of apparently forced sex followed by sadism and masochism indicate the country is battling an acute problem of sexual assault against its women, which needs soul-searching and urgent and lasting solutions.

Put in the context of a robust march by women in Pakistan, dubbed as the ‘Aurat March’ for their rights and liberties on the International Women’s Day, these incidents reveal a larger picture of the current state of women's rights in the country.

However, such robust protests and calls for women safety, or even simple criticism in this regard, is often blurred with an unwarranted barrage of chauvinism – as if this is only meant to defame the country.

The denial of the problem means there can be no headway towards at least trying to address it.

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