"Gender Discrimination in Pakistan and the Saarc Region"

(This article was published in SAARC publications book; "The Eight Neighbours, Together we Survive." The book was presented to the dignitaries, heads of state of 8 SAARC countries on 17th Saarc Summit at Addu city, Maldives.)

“A girl is a mother’s pride

 A father’s deep adoration

What is the difference of importance so undue?
 For a girl, the mutuality of parentage eschew” (AZK)

Discrimination against women means any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing of nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status on a basis of equality of men and women of human rights and fundamental freedom in the economic, social, cultural, civil, political or any other field. Discriminatory behavior is generally regarded as an obstacle for the achievement of the objectives of equality, development and peace. However, in practice majority of the women in different communities, societies, religions in many countries are still subjected to various forms of discrimination at different stages of their life. Discrimination starts during socialization processes from the very early age in the name of sex segregation and is well established during the middle childhood. Later on this turns into discrimination. World's large portion of women is still being discriminated in each community, religion or country directly or indirectly in different stages of life.

World's large portion of women is still being discriminated in each community, religion or country directly or indirectly in different stages of life. It is revealed that though both male and female are hired for same type of job, female are discriminated to get equal pay to male. Such type of practice is more common in the developing world. Gender discrimination in education, employment and health accelerates economic burden. Discrimination against women affects their capacity to participate freely and fully in society and in turn brings psychologically harmful consequences. Due to the fear of being deserted by husband women don't even hesitate to abort the female embryo inside their womb before it turns into a baby. To be born a woman into a society that puts you in degradation is a crime! Born a woman and then born into a poor economic condition is criminal offence in Pakistan!

The literacy rate of females in Pakistan is at 39.6 percent compared to that of males at 67.7 percent. The objectives of education policies in Pakistan aim to achieve equality in education between girls and boys and to reduce the gender gap in the educational system. However, the policy also encourages girls, mainly in rural areas of Pakistan, to acquire basic home management skills, which are preferred over full-scale primary education. The attitudes towards women in Pakistani culture make the fight for educational equality more difficult. The lack of democracy and feudal practices of Pakistan also contribute to the gender gap in the educational system. This feudal system leaves the underpowered, women in particular, in a very vulnerable position. The long-lived socio-cultural belief that women play a reproductive role within the confines of the home leads to the belief that educating women holds no value.

As many as 40-50% of the women in jails in cities like Lahore, Peshawar, and Mardan await trial for adultery, but according to some human rights monitors, 80 percent of all adultery-related Hudood cases are filed without any supporting evidence. But even when acquitted, the trauma for the woman may not end, because they then become vulnerable to attack for a so-called "honor killing", where male relatives murder women they accuse of immoral behavior. According to human rights observers, honor killings are rampant in Pakistan's feudal-dominated rural and tribal areas - a 1998 HRCP report citing 1,600 cases of such killings in that year.                             

Although there are numerous reports of women killed or mutilated by male relatives who suspect them of adultery, few such cases are investigated seriously and those who are arrested are usually acquitted on the grounds that they were "provoked," or for a lack of witnesses. While the tradition of killing those suspected of illicit sexual relations in so-called "honor killings", in order to restore tribal or family honor (which is known as "karo-kari" in Sindh), applies equally to offending men and women, women are far more likely to be killed than men, and cases have been reported from every province in Pakistan. Honor killings have also been triggered by a woman found conversing, or sharing a joke or light moment, with a man who wasn't a relative. A woman who is perceived as being "disobedient" to her husband or the husband's family may also fall victim to an honor killing, or may be badly battered, burned by fire, or disfigured by acid attacks. Human Rights advocates charge that there have been countless instances of such "honor killings" similar to the two-hundred and fifty women who were burned to death in their homes in 1997 in the city of Lahore, of which only six cases led to arrest.

The Commission of Inquiry for Women cited newspapers from Lahore which reported an average of 15 cases of stove deaths per month during a 6-month period in 1997; most of the victims were young married women. The Commission noted that many such cases are not reported by hospitals and, even when they are, the police are reluctant to investigate or file charges. Dowry demands are also factors in such killings.
The 1979 Hudood Ordinances abolished punishment for raping one's wife. Thus, marital rape is not a crime. Since marriage registration (nikah) sometimes occurs years before a marriage is consummated (rukh sati), the nikah (unconsummated) marriage is regarded as a formal marital relationship. In one 1996 case, a 13-year-old girl, whose nikah had been performed but rukh sati had not taken place, decided to divorce her husband. The husband kidnapped the girl, raped her, and then released her. The police refused to register a rape case arguing that they were a married couple.
In rural areas, the practice of a woman "marrying the Koran" is widely accepted if the family cannot arrange a suitable marriage or wants to keep the family wealth intact. A woman "married to the Koran" is forbidden to have any contact with males over 14 years of age, including her immediate family members. In inheritance cases women generally do not receive--or are pressed to surrender the share of the inheritance they are legally due. Under the Hudood laws, the testimony of a woman is not admissible in cases involving “Hadd” punishments, and in other cases, the testimony of two women is seen as equivalent to that of one man. For instance, a woman's testimony regarding financial matters is not admissible unless corroborated by another woman. Hudood laws are also used to intimidate and oppress women sold into prostitution.


Although there is gender inequity and discrimination throughout the subcontinent, the plight of women in Pakistan can be especially traumatic since not only do women face tremendous social pressures, Islamic Laws systematize onerous and intense legal burdens on women. Even as women's rights activists and progressive trade union activists fight a valiant battle for social change, their task is made much more difficult due to restrictions on political activity and limitations on the press. Frequent bouts of military dictatorship have made the work of activists trying to bring about gender equality in Pakistani society especially challenging.

Women in elite urban districts of Pakistan enjoy a far more privileged lifestyle than those living in rural tribal areas. Women in urbanized districts typically lead more elite lifestyles and have more opportunities for education. Rural and tribal areas of Pakistan have an increasingly high rate of poverty and alarmingly low literacy rates. In 2002 it was recorded that 81.5 percent of 15-19 year old girls from high-income families had attended school while 22.3 percent of girls from low-income families had ever attended school. In comparison, it was recorded that 96.6 percent of Pakistani boys’ ages 15–19 coming from high-income families had attended schooling while 66.1 percent of 15-19 year old boys from low-income families had attended school. Girls living in rural areas are encouraged not to go to school because they are needed in the home to do work at a young age. In most rural villages, secondary schooling simply does not exist for girls, leaving them no choice but to prepare for marriage and do household tasks. These rural areas often have inadequate funding and schooling for girls is at the bottom of their priorities.             
Marriage too has several burdens. Early marriages end up having early age pregnancies which too with severe complications sometimes. They have to do household chores if they are married in the rural areas where most of the work is done by the female folk. There too, they are considered second class as males of their family consider them to have no voice and rights.
As compared to this their female counterparts of the rest of the countries of Saarc region can be seen in the following ways.
In Afghanistan the human rights violations faced by women throughout two decades of civil war in Afghanistan. It covers the cultural dynamics of women's status in Afghan society as well as how women's status and rights were used as a political tool by the various warring factions to achieve political and ideological ends. The rights violations experienced by Afghan women ranging from widespread cases rape and sexual assault to beatings and physical violence used to enforce restrictions of women's fundamental human rights. Finally, the responsibility of the international community: To prevent the continuation of the rights violations against women.
In Afghanistan Humanity is denied to women at all levels.
Throughout the duration of Taliban rule in Afghanistan, the term "Gender Apartheid" was used by a number of women's rights advocates to convey the message that the rights violations experienced by Afghan women were in substance no different than those experienced by blacks in Apartheid South Africa. This raises interesting questions regarding the status of Apartheid under international criminal law. While racial apartheid, despite its ambiguous legal definition, continues to appear in codifications of international criminal law such as the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, states refuse to even entertain the notion of recognizing apartheid based on gender as an international crime. Can this be considered another manifestation of the gender bias of international law, which for example, has a tendency to yield to cultural relativism arguments when it comes to women's rights, or are there legitimate reasons to avoid the criminalization of the acts constituting what has been referred to as "gender apartheid"?
During the rule of the Taliban (1996 - 2001), women were treated worse than in any other time or by any other society. They were forbidden to work, leave the house without a male escort, not allowed to seek medical help from a male doctor, and forced to cover themselves from head to toe, even covering their eyes. Women, who were doctors and teachers before, suddenly were forced to be beggars and even prostitutes in order to feed their families.

Since the fall of the Taliban in late 2001, many would agree that the political and cultural position of Afghan women has improved substantially. The recently adopted Afghan constitution states that "the citizens of Afghanistan - whether man or woman- have equal rights and duties before the law". So far, women have been allowed to return back to work, the government no longer forces them to wear the covering burqa, and they even have been appointed to prominent positions in the government. Despite all these changes many challenges still remain. The repression of women is still prevalent in rural areas where many families still restrict their own mothers, daughters, wives and sisters from participation in public life. They are still forced into marriages and denied a basic education. Numerous schools for girls have been burned down and little girls have even been poisoned to death for daring to go to school.                  

According to Dr. Sima Samar appointment as Afghanistan's Interim Government Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Women's Affairs was faced with inadequate financial resources to pursue her mandate, posing questions about the international community's commitment to supporting efforts to strengthen Afghan women's rights. On January 17, 2002, an article in the Guardian reported:

Sima Samar was fed up. The minister of women's affairs had no office, budget or staff. She could not afford her telephone bill and she is got weary of western protestations of support for the oppressed women of Afghanistan.

"Everybody promises me they are with me, but I'd like to ask them 'how'?" she told the Guardian. "How can I even hope to change the situation without money? There is so much to do, and I don't even have enough money for a literacy course." She said.

The majority of Afghan men and women feel that women should have equal access to education and work opportunities, legal protection for human rights and participation in government.

The people of Afghanistan continue to suffer from the accumulated effects of war and economic collapse. Recent reports have emphasized that the coping capacity of the civilian population has been severely weakened as a result of the war and the erosion of many traditional coping mechanisms including, in particular, the role of extended family networks.

In terms of human development indicators,

Afghanistan is ranked among the lowest in the world. It is, for example, estimated that one quarter of all children die before they reach the age of five. Literacy rates are approximately 35 per cent for the whole population, 10 but only 13 per cent for females in urban areas and 3 to 4 per cent in rural districts.

The maternal mortality rates are the second highest in the world, with nearly 1,700 per 100,000 live births.

Furthermore, only 12 per cent of women are estimated to have access to even the most basic health care, a situation that has changed little since the Inter-Agency  Gender Mission in 1997.

Some facts in pointers::

• Every 30 minutes, an Afghan woman dies during childbirth
• 87 percent of Afghan women are illiterate
• 30 percent of girls have access to education in Afghanistan
• 1 in every 3 Afghan women experience physical, psychological or sexual violence
• 44 years is the average life expectancy rate for women in Afghanistan
• 70 to 80 percent of women face forced marriages in Afghanistan

Source: IRIN

Nepal is a multicultural, multi-lingual, and multi-religious country. It is a religious and male dominated society where women are considered as secondary to men. Preference of son is more common and deeply rooted value in every community. Gender based discrimination irrespective to caste and ethnicity, starts right after the birth in different forms and it continues throughout the life for most of the women. There are different sets of behaviors for boys and girls to perform. Such discrimination has also helped to establish the hierarchical relationship between men and women in the society and also helped to create many rigid gender norms that restrict women's opportunities and stifle their development in the private and public sphere. 

The behavior and attitude varies from one community to another since each community/caste/ ethnic group has its own tradition, culture and religion. Besides any behavior or practice considered as discriminatory in one culture may not be thought to be so in another culture. Discrimination between male and female in general has been a cultural tradition, which is interlinked with religion happens to be accepted by women and applied by men as a social norm. Some of the Hindu religion’s ideals are so defined that they go on to stipulate that if a woman is barren for eight years, and only give birth to a female child until eleven years or has impolite sound (Apriya Bhashi) then the men should marry another woman immediately. In contrast even though a man keeps relation with another woman, is uneducated or characterless (Anachaar) the wife still should serve him as a god. Similarly the Hindu ideals prescribe that women should stay under the care of a father, husband and a son during childhood, young age and old age respectively. There is a belief in Hindu religion that parents without a son neither get mukti nor would they go to heaven after death. Such beliefs make men either desperate to get remarried with another woman for son or accelerates domestic violence. Discrimination and violence against woman remain common today as proving by the fact that a husband was reported to have killed his wife for giving births to female baby. Buddhist religion seems to be liberal in gender quality. As stated by Jampuria (2007)

Buddhism never discriminates women nor does it consider women as secondary to men. Buddhism allows women to be bhikkuni (nuns). However among the Buddhists too while, both male and female are regarded as equal, in practice they still have defined different gender roles for male and female.

Women in Nepal are facing discrimination in the society. They feel that they are being discriminated in many things such as behaving on the road, way of behaving and property. The underpinning cause of such discrimination is societal norm where women are still considered as secondary to men. Majority of the women still neither own any property nor are educated as men to be independent in the society. Because of household chores, lower qualifications and other causes they cannot take on just about any occupation and move freely outside the home as men do. In general there are no distinct differences of societal discrimination awareness in the different communities of Nepal. Insignificant level of differences in different category of societal discrimination awareness can be seen in two different communities. With comparison to Tamang, Brahmins women seem to be aware about the prevalent societal discriminatory practices in almost all categories of discrimination except right to own property. Some respondents, notwithstanding their ethnicity, also mentioned other types of sensitive discrimination, which was not mentioned in the questionnaire. As reported by the respondents the other types of discrimination faced by the women are: decision making for self, mobility, food, interaction with boys, allowances, social inclusion and/choice of partner. Respondents concluded that in the patriarchal Nepali society women are considered as inferior to men and are not always allowed to participate in decision-making, even on matters related to their own lives. It is very common in Nepalese society that if a girl marries with low caste boy, she is neglected by other family member and even could not return to her parental home. But the son is accepted later if he marries with outcaste girl. As the sons are considered the supporter of old age parents, family members are forced to accept outcaste girl as a daughter-in-law.

The most responsible factor of discrimination is the parental behavior. Many reasons come to the mind while thinking of such discriminatory behaviors: First, because of patriarchal society women feel safe after giving birth to male baby and those who don't have son make more offspring in the hope of having a newborn male baby.      

They cannot support their family with limited resources and consequently discriminate their girl child thinking daughter will go to others house and son will support them during their old age; Second, daughters are more close to mothers and learn stereotype gender roles which restricts women from different activities;

Third, mother relates her emotions with daughters and wants to protect them from the sorrows they feel; Fourth, in Nepalese society three is a saying chhoriko ijjat

siyoko tuppoma meaning daughter's honor is on the tip of a needle. Such type of saying makes the mother sensitive and restricts daughters from different types of outdoors activities. Finally, if children, especially daughters, are spoilt all the blame goes to the mother. Because of the social pressure, mothers restrict their daughter, though they don't want to. Similarly among those who felt food discrimination, 100%, of Brahmins and 60% of Tamangs blamed females (mother-in-lows) for food discrimination. The difference between Brahmins and Tamang families is because of the cultural factor. It was reported that some Tamangs family distribute food to whole family along with daughter-in-law at the same time and eat together. This was the prominent factor that reveals the differences in Brahmins and Tamangs. Both male and female in Brahmins family and male in Tamangs family were found as discriminators of property as stated by 44.4% and 42.1% respectively

Democracy was established in Nepal in April 1990. It provided diverse groups space to express their opinions openly and to assert their identities and rights as citizens. However, the dominant order has remained largely confined to male Brahmans (Bahuns) and Kshatriyas

(Thakuris and Chhetris): From the traditionally influential Parbatiya or Hill Hindu group and the urban-based and generally well-educated Newars. The democratic transition also failed to be inclusive mainly because political parties were unable or unwilling to represent and articulate the demands of less powerful Nepalese. Those left out at the margins were women, the formerly

‘Untouchable’ castes who now call themselves Dalits (‘oppressed’, ‘broken’ or ‘crushed’), and the ‘tribal’, indigenous ethnic groups, the Adivasi Janajatis or ‘indigenous nationalities’.

During the Panchayat period (1962-1990) the state attempted to build a ‘modern’ and ‘unified’ nation. Although directly ruled by the king, Nepalese were for the first time beginning to think of themselves as citizens rather than subjects. Nepal abolished caste-based discrimination in 1963. But the diversity of languages, gender, kinship systems and spiritual outlooks were framed as barriers to development that ‘had’ to be merged into a common ‘modern’ Nepali culture. Cultural ‘unity’ was projected as essential to nation-building and the maintenance of independence.

Women’ have a much longer history in Nepal as a socially disadvantaged group in the eyes of the state than Janajatis and Dalits. The earliest women’s organizations were founded in the late 1940s. Some pre-Panchayat protests by women included the demand for the right to vote.

Under the 1976 Class Organizations Act, the Panchayat rulers recognized women as a social group. New women’s organizations have emerged and are demanding conditions of economic equality by ensuring equal property rights, quotas in education and jobs and voice in political parties and government. The development response to women’s claim for equal rights however, still hinges largely on the welfare model.

The Ministry of Women and Social Welfare, established in 1995, was renamed the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare (MWCSW) in 2000. The MWCSW lacks adequate financial and human resources to carry out its responsibilities effectively, and ha s also largely failed to consider the priorities and needs of women from different caste and ethnic groups.

Nepal set up the National Women's Commission (NWC) in 2002. But it did not have a legal basis and its mandate remained unclear. Its members retired in March 2004 and replacements had not been appointed in end-October 2005. Brahman and Chhetri women—appointed mainly on the basis of their political affiliation—dominated the NWC membership. Generally, inclusion of women in development continues to fall into very specific gendered roles that often reinforce unequal access to resources and institutions, particularly for poor and socially marginalized women. Tension also exists between technocratic ‘fixes’ (often preferred by donors) and those advocating more long term socio-political change. The latter is more likely to occur as a process of democratic trial and error, often led by ordinary people

(Including politicians) and tends to be ‘messier’ and less amenable to donor’s timetables and budget cycles. There is also an apparent donor bias favoring ‘professional’ NGOs––those whose leaders are conversant with the current development trends and can converse in English––over smaller local NGOs or mass organizations of political parties’, even though the latter could potentially be more effective at mobilizing women and influencing policy change. As a result, programming has tended to remain narrowly focused, without necessary policy foundations and appropriate linkages for expansion and gender mainstreaming in the real sense.

The representation of women in political parties remains low, especially at higher leadership positions, and this remains a major obstacle in having more mainstream policies and programs that focus on women and other disadvantaged groups. Women organizations of the parties remain in a subordinate relationship within the typically male-dominated institutions.

In a society where: A male child is treated as 'wealth', an uneducated girl who not only stands to inherit any ancestral property, but also incapable of becoming a working woman and securing a job if there are marital problems. From her birth, the shadow of female infanticide looms large and throughout her growing years, she is never more than an expense. This makes the girl always feel inferior and a victim of child abuse. Though such situations are rampant in the face of extreme poverty, it is not that the monetary brighter segment of society is devoid of it. However, the bias once sowed, ripples through the family, subsequent generations and society. The repercussions are severe, making women vulnerable to emotional abuse in marital problems. 

Discrimination in the field of education results in individual tragedies and finally tells on the rate of progress a society or a nation makes. The status of women in a society has a direct effect on its health. In a number of countries and societies, girls are not educated since she is considered a strain on the family's resources. Without an education, she cannot even voice her opinion, stand up for herself monetarily as well as emotionally, or battle the discrimination from a social pulpit. Women have come a long way in many societies around the world. It is not that there has been no shift. However, the shift is slow in some societies and evident in others. The problem is not with the number of instances coming up each day, it lies with identifying an effective measure to eradicate the economic predicament. The attitude that results in widespread neglect needs to be 'treated' and drained off social support. It is only in a united stand that the focus will provide the right guidelines. 

Citizens need to back the law and law enforcement agencies and most importantly, believe in the power of equality. The fight is not to determine the 'first among equals', but to enjoy a rostrum that is conducive to collaborative effort and a balance that is willed by nature.

"Voices of the Subaltern: The Oppressed and the Excluded"

'Subaltern' refers to a person of inferior rank and is a term used in post-colonial studies to refer to the colonized, those who lack agency in society and access to social power.

 The society in our world can be divided into two parts; the haves and the have not’s. To explain this there are two categories to keep in mind namely; the privileged or the rich, and the oppressed or the poor that get excluded because of this imbalance of finances and rights. This huge divide has created not only a feeling of insecurity among the oppressed it has also left them locked out of the prosperity enjoyed by the world’s minority.

                                               

The devaluation of the people is of incomparably greater significance than the devaluation of a Currency. Yet more attention is paid to the latter than the former. People are pulled apart by social and economic structures that de‐humanize, compartmentalize, destroy, humiliate, and blame. People are made to feel that lives are worth little, that their position at the bottom of the heap completely excludes and effectively dis-empowers them. Keeping this in context:

1) Do we allow charity to be a substitute for justice?

2) How can we, as an informed people, assert a global presence in addressing the causes of poverty and inequality?

3) How can we better hold national governments accountable for         building a just society?

4) What steps can we take to analyze how our marginalized sisters and brothers see us?

Keeping the above points in mind, we are right to feel angry at the oppression of the poor and the excluded individuals of the society. Those who hold the reins of political and economic power in the world have literally pushed them to margins on the basis of false moralizing discourses that blame them and paint them as lazy and dysfunctional. The truth of the matter is that they are set apart by inequality of resources allocated to them by our societies. We don’t need to look or go far to find the structures of dispossession and exploitation. The forgotten ones, the excluded ones are here, where it hurts the most. Are our stomachs not churned at times when we feel the injustice and indignity suffered by our brothers and sisters as a result of oppressive structures? Don’t we tremble with indignation at the unhappiness suffered by these individuals? This should resonate strongly for us.

The social, economic and political exclusion is a systematic action that is done to people. It certainly does not sprout because of bad luck or bad choices or bad karma. It is in individual lives, every case is a unique intersection between a personal narrative, the axis of history and structure. There may be a dominant discourse on the existence and persistence of exclusion. It is a discourse that fundamentally keeps anonymous the people in terms of their collision with unjust structures and dehumanizing histories. It is this unfamiliar that leads to the term “homeless” that captures the entirety of a person’s story which denies the multi-dimensional class privilege to others in society.

The disparity of wealth leads to some of the visible problems of today for example: Livelihood crisis, malnutrition, suicide, hunger deaths, brutality, dehumanization and a break of human spirit in everyday life. Where the poor go on empty stomachs, in tattered clothes; hoping of a life in dignity.

With the modern world and its new technical advancements, computerized efficiencies, mechanical mastering has also contributed to this divide between classes. In my view, people with less or no education previously used to do labor manually specially in the industrial and agricultural sector. New introductions of robotic facilities have reduced the human input and more machine work is being encouraged. Threshers, Harvesters have taken over manual work; industries too have substituted human help to machines. Such steps forward into the new era have left the labor class in particular years behind and no jobs in hand.

Discussing different cases with regards to Pakistan, feudalism or land lords have been dominant in the Pakistani rural society. Throughout history, feudalism has appeared in different forms. The feudal prototype in Pakistan consists of landlords with large joint families possessing hundreds or even thousands of acres of land. They seldom make any direct contribution to agricultural production. Instead, all work is done by peasants or tenants who live at subsistence level. The peasants working for them end up being prisoners or slaves for the rest of their lives. Many generations have been suppressed by this post colonial system, families after families have been subjugated in a systematic manner for never to utter a single word in front of the feudal. The wives and daughters of these peasants are kept has house maids and servants, looking after the ladies of the landlord. The peasant children are deprived of basic health facilities and education.

The poor peasants are forced to stay on bare minimum, marriages of their daughters and sons are welcomed provided they borrow the money from the landlord. They are never able to pay back the borrowed money from the peanut salary they receive as wages for their services; it’s a vicious circle that entraps their lives into more misery.                

Landlord, who is the possessor of vast amounts of land and human resource, is powerful in the distribution of water, fertilizers, tractor permits, agricultural credit and a complete influence on the regional police station or ‘thana.’ The local judiciary and revenue automatically come under his influence. The landlord behaves as mini god on Earth with absolute power in his hands he is not only corrupt himself but also encourages the whole system of that area to get adulterated in this effect. The feudal system thus becomes a degrading human system.

Excessive wealth and power gets to the head for the feudal in which they carry an attitude of selfishness and arrogance. Virtues of life such as honesty, justice, learning and respect for law totally disappear. Having such attitudes; these feudal head for: the key posts in the civil service, armed forces, business, industry and politics. Making way, like an octopus; with its extended numerous arms in to the society to further corrupt the system. A great share of worsened moral, social, economic and political crisis today can be attributed to the powerful feudal system operating in Pakistan.

A few thousand feudal families with connections in the power house of the country have hijacked the majority of the population. Zamindars, Jagirdars, Nawabs, Nawabzadas, and Sardars have been in the strong hold since the inception of Pakistan. They are armed with the monopoly of political and economic power with majority of the feudal oriented political parties; they constitute two thirds of the National Assembly with most of the key posts in the provinces held by them.

The Authoritative streak of the feudal personality is like oxygen to him/her which in consequence evaporates freedom of thought, speech and expression in their subjects. As a result; social inequalities and injustices prevail in the society.

With this huge disparity of rights and injustices, in reaction, the subjugated people turn to criminal activities like theft, robbery, prostitution, becoming full time dacoits or lean over to addiction. They are forced to take law in their hands due to the unfortunate circumstances that surround them. Such dacoits are many times employed by the same feudal for protection against the deprived people, to harass them further with force through these law breakers. In short it is a vicious circle of cruelty and subjugation.    

The police station is under the influence and guidance of the local landlord. No complaint or a case can be registered against anyone unless the landlord gives permission for it. Decisions are taken in the local “Panchayat” which again is at the mercy of the landlord. In cases where people do not listen to the decision taken by Panchayat, a fabricated case is registered against them. The police with the backing of the local landlord go after such individuals with extreme vengeance. Once apprehended by the police, peasants and labor class suffer torture at the hands of the police, both mental and physical, police using the basic domestic violence techniques and blunt tools. The body parts most frequently targeted for battering are buttocks, foot soles, back and front of thighs, palms and wrists. In such cases the most common tool to inflict severe pain is the cane stick and a broad flat leather slipper dipped in mustard oil commonly known as the “Chhitthar.” The socio-economic helplessness of the peasants and labor make them an easy prey for the police.

The poor people are forced to vote for these feudal in the elections both for the Provincial and National level. Unfortunately, once elected their rural subjects come under more pressure for money, job, health and security. They become a part of the Government once elected their voters turn to these feudal again for their problems rather than the Government machinery. In my view; 70% of the problems on the domestic front of Pakistan, start from the corrupted Thana system. It is a universally held acclaim that true democratic system cannot be build-up without first strengthening the Police system, which could effectively maintain law and order as effective administration is worthless without it. The ruling clique should strive to make police system professional, service-oriented and accountable to the people, having inbuilt mechanisms to curb illegitimate political interference; while enhancing police accountability through civilian oversight.

Another case in this is the treatment of women in the rural Pakistan. Maltreatment of women starts from our male dominated society where the perception of woman is that of having a relatively low key role of child bearer, a home maker an asset. It is a common knowledge that in the rural areas of Pakistan law of jungle prevails, women of course are treated like property, similar to a land or a cow or a tube well.

The unwritten powers of the feudal in the rural areas make the plight of women a lot worse. The feudal has a claim on everything on his land whether living or dead. The claims surely include sexual assault, rape on various age groups of poor village females summoned to their Dera’s or fortresses for the male’s young and old, for their visitors too for perverted pleasures. Years of submission and cruelty has conditioned these women to accept whatever ill happens in their lives. Not to ever raise their voice, point a finger on the sadist perpetrators who are known in the society as respected landlords. One shudders to think of all the tyrannies these simple poor peasant women have to endure. They are suffering both mentally and physically when judgments are made on their character and fates with nothing more to do than a pious silence. How these women feel the shame, anguish and humiliation on seeing their criminals walk free, these callous people trumpeting their achievements.

The rural women of Pakistan are actively involved in her daily work which comprises of cooking, cleaning, and other domestic chores; they are also greatly involved in the agricultural sector. Crop production weeding, grass cutting, cotton stick collection, livestock rearing, rural women are engaged in both domestic and commercial aspects of the society. Women are also expected to collect wood from the nearby fields to be used as a fuel for cooking. Her farm activities keep her busy with taking care of the livestock, milking, milk processing and preparation of ghee.

Women are responsible for looking after the livestock, cleaning the sheds, watering and milking the animals preparing dung cakes that fetch in extra income for the family. A labor Survey of Pakistan in 2007/2008 revealed that stall feeding of animals is done by 35% of the females, whereas milking, processing into ghee is done by 60% of women and preparation of dung cakes are done by 90% .Shed cleaning is done by 90% women and watering of the animals is done by70% of the females.

In the cotton picking farms; women work from sun up to sunset. Pesticides on the cotton crop by the landlords, exposes these women to extensive poisonous chemicals which form into acute allergies of the skin. With ailments and improper medical facilities these women are surrounded by health hazards, over load of work and die untreated. In the burning months of May/July their frail bodies transplant rice crop with sweltering heat from dawn till dusk, the landlords do not provide with umbrellas, hats or hand gloves for protection against such a hostile weather.              

Pakistani girls and women spend hours in bringing clean water for drinking and laundry. Not only are these tasks hard and laborious they also rob girls opportunity to study to flourish in life.

The impact of feudalism, and the poverty it gives rise to, is poorly documented, but six months after the most devastating floods of 2010 in the country’s history, with Sindh Province worst hit, a provincial government report based on a survey conducted with UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) support, has revealed a grave nutritional crisis. The survey has found a global acute malnutrition (GAM) rate of 23.1 percent in children aged 6-59 months in flood-affected areas of northern Sindh and 21.2 percent in southern Sindh - rates above the World Health Organization’s 15 percent emergency threshold level.

According to Andro Shilakadze, a senior UNICEF field officer in Sindh, told, “The women of Sindh have suffered like this for thousands of years due to the feudal system in the province, and of course the mother’s health affects the child.” On another instance, James King’ori, nutrition cluster coordinator for UNICEF, told from Islamabad: “Women, particularly of child-bearing age (15-49), have an increased nutritional requirement to not only maintain their body growth, enable daily chore undertaking but also to support pregnancy and breastfeeding of infants. Addressing poverty in a strategic manner to benefit women is key,” he said.  Such a huge contribution; in terms of physical and mental stress, the peasant/labor women’s role as yet not been recognized in the society.

Eunuchs in Pakistan too have a miserable tale of injustices and suppression. The third gender or commonly known as Hijras in the local terminology are unable to lead normal lives or produce offspring. Most of them are close to men but they prefer to be identified with feminine rather than masculine. They adorn themselves with make-up, lipstick, kajol, dressed in bright colorful shalwar kamiz with dupatta covering their heads, earrings and necklaces; they roam the busy market place of a city in groups to gather earnings out of begging or giving a view of their typical dancing style. They speak in male voices with a unique way of clap palms meeting crossways, looking for a new prey every time a passerby comes in way.           

The third gender has received a lot of criticism, suspicion and looked down upon by the society. As soon as a child in the rural areas specially is declared a Eunuch it is handed over to the community leader which is led by a ‘Guru’ or the master. They all live like a family with true bonding for each other. Every time there is a new entry to this clan they celebrate outdoors with feast, songs and dance as rituals to welcome a new entry, with the blessings of the Guru who is taken as a fatherly/motherly figure. For the proper upbringing of the newest member into the clan the Guru takes charge and inculcates the proper traditions and customs followed by the clan to the new hijra. He is given love and support from his new adopted family fed, clothed looked after well so he feels secure.

Previously people used to call them on wedding celebrations, child births or simply to give away charity but now since the troubled times in Pakistan their opportunity to earn an honest living is slowly diminishing. Due to this they are reduced to begging on the streets of metropolises, or sparingly asked to come on a wedding for dance and in dire consequences even forced into prostitution. The Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered that they be protected from police harassment, be eligible for a separate gender category on ID cards and be recognized under inheritance laws. In addition to the order for government recognition, Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry also issued a warning that the hijras' rights of inheritance, which are often informally ignored, would be enforced.     

Such a landmark decision still leaves them unfortunately the excluded people of the society since people categorize them with general concept that "They pollute people's morality." The stigma attached to them since then has left them increasingly vulnerable to theft, attack and abuse in Pakistan's male-dominated and often-feudal society.         

                                                                 

Physically handicapped or disabled people and are 92% dependent on their family members 74% are illiterate and 69% are below the poverty line. It is estimated that out of the population of 180 million Pakistani’s 5% to 10% of them are disabled. They face problems while commuting from place to another because nothing is facilitated in public transport and shopping areas. They face barriers in employment, health care facilities, and education. They are considered burden to their families. Suffering of the mentally handicapped in the urban and rural areas needs to be look into as well as there is lack of health facilities and social work. Severely mentally retarded people are either chained or locked in rooms for years. Slightly better in state end up beggars or they are left on shrines as their final abode. It is vital that their existence and rights are realized in the society.              

The President of Pakistan Mr. Asif Zardari inaugurated on the 10^th August 2009 Special Computerized National Identity Card) scheme for disabled persons.  Special Persons got this Special CNIC from any of NADRA offices (National Database and Registration Authority) throughout Pakistan on the basis of disability certificate attested by Medical Superintendent or Chairman Medical Board of government’s hospital. A special icon/image of wheelchair on the card indicates the disabled person. Does this identification given by the Government help in making their plight better?

How can we take actions for a better society? The solutions lie within if we apply good governance to the existing institutions.

1). Rule of law must be made supreme for all irrespective of what background one comes from. More than 80% of the problems faced by the oppressed can be resolved this way. The police should be well paid and under no institutional interference. Catching and apprehending a culprit becomes more efficient this way. Police transfers and appointments should be done by the institution itself with no recommendations taken either by the President or the Prime Minister of the country.

2). Feudalism should be abolished in Pakistan with immediate effect. 90% of the problems will be resolved once this system is collapsed by the Government.

3). Education should be a top priority for all the citizens of the country. The meager 2.2% of the GDP is totally not sufficient for the nation. System of education should be one in the country and till the 10^th grade it should be made compulsory on all. Students and young people should be encouraged and given the chance to enroll in classes that teach skilled trades such as construction, welding and plumbing. Child labor should ban and the ones found guilty in this heinous crime should be punished severely.

4). Health facilities need to be improved on war footing. With the 75% deprived of medical cure the Government needs to spend more on this sector for the betterment of the citizens. Hospitals should be better equipped with proper medical care and staff in uniformity throughout the country.

5). Increase in minimum wage and unemployment allowances should be set up for the poor and labor class.

                                                                                  

The innocent people of Pakistan need a better chance in life. Under present scenario of a forced imposed war on Pakistan which has left the economy crumbled and has increased the sufferings of common man specially the above mentioned category of people more oppressed and excluded.     

An ideal society where; equality is maintained, justice is in balance, and where people feel secure to live in. The economy must enable all the citizens of our country to enjoy a rising standard of living. This will demand of all sectors of the economy - state-owned, private, and co-operative to allocate resources and implement policies in keeping with this common national requirement. Such a society isn’t an unachievable one; for I believe with love and conviction we can definitely bring a change into the present scenario. We must commit ourselves to carrying at least a few grains of sand as hope to the building site of a new society.
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"Lavish Levy"

Pakistan, a country of approximately 190 million inhabitants today, faces tough days with shortage of all utilities namely; gas, electricity, water diminishing before our eyes. With no planning up their sleeves the present Government of rulers remains effortless in finding a way out for the suffering of the citizens.

With harsh winter days, supply of gas either is nonexistent in some areas of the country and others who are fortunate get it only in Lilliputian amounts. Cuts in electric supplies too have become aggressive from the month of December 2011. Price hikes in petrol, every now and then increases the value of every consumer item in the country which in turn further burdens the crumbled back of the people of Pakistan. This causes a loss of purchasing power in many unfortunate souls who are below the poverty line.

One of the reasons of this entire rise is the imposition of federal taxes which were levied in Budget 2011-2012. The CPI (Consumer Price Index) is the main measure of price changes at the retail level. It indicates the cost of purchasing a representative fixed basket of goods and services consumed by private households. In Pakistan, the CPI covers the retail prices of 374 items in 35 major cities and reflects roughly the changes in the cost of living of urban areas. Budget this year was more Government friendly than citizen cordial! With 15% increase in Government employees salaries (15-20% increase in pension), the cabinet of ministers were well thought of in advance: Huge perks, salaries, foreign and domestic tours.

Pakistan Jeevay Muqami Hakoomat (JPJM) chairman Daniyal Aziz said on Thursday that the present Government was busy raising prices everywhere whereas on its own account their own expenditure had not come down. In a statement issued to the media, Aziz condemned the federal government for keeping a cabinet of 96 ministers and advisors. He said, “While Pakistan was a poor country, its federal government had spent Rs90.7 billion on its cabinet over four years.” He said, “Similarly provincial cabinets included ministers in excess of the number required for administration, so far 2,070 air tickets had been issued to the federal ministers and advisors.” This number of 96 ministers is ludicrous to hold for even in the most stable economies.

If one compares the above figure of 96 ministers/advisors to other countries one would be shocked to notice the average number of ministers running a country;  France 21 ministers, Norway 19 ministers, Iran 18, Canada 37, India 32, United States 14, China 14 Ministers, and Turkey 22 Ministers. Pakistan is a sure-shot deserving case for Guinness Book of World Records with 96 ministers! Now if one compares the performance of almost 100 cabinet members to other countries, ours start and finish on a zero. Accountability; zero! Responsibility; zero! Targets; zero! Planning; zero! Foresight; zero! On what credibility are they even staying in the office that they hold? One really wonders on their mulish behavior.

The Governments Expenses on social security and welfare dropped to Rs17.5 billion against Rs20.3 billion in the previous year. Population planning was slashed by over one-third and stood at Rs4.6 billion. The biggest reduction in terms of percentage was on low-cost housing. Total spending was Rs373 million, compared to Rs1.83 billion last year – a decline of 80%. The federal government took Rs50,000 advances from many federal employees to provide low-cost housing, but is now apparently earning profit on this money, as it has not yet finalized the scheme.

Rs. 260 million spent on the renovation of President’s Kitchen (soon to be approved), in a country where people cannot afford one decent meal. Where every expense starting from the President to Prime Minister to ministers/advisors is done on the governments exchequer, and who pays for that? The people of Pakistan through their taxes, for all their foreign trips, medical visits, motorcades, lavish parties, Salaries, even the clothes that they wear. Hopes and wishes that these individuals could enjoy all this from their own pockets rather than the poor citizens of this country.

Nobody has ever stopped the civilian democratically elected government to work for the welfare of this country and its inhabitants. Rs. 1,300,000/- is the daily kitchen expense of the President House whereas Rs. 1, 400, 000/- is the kitchen expense of Prime Minister House. A simple math done by individuals can estimate and add up the amount of money spent in a year. Just imagine the amount of welfare work that could have been done in such a steep price that the citizens of this country pay for.

Pakistan needs good honest leaders who can feel the pain and hurt of billions of its inhabitants.  A sheer waste of the country’s national resources cannot be overlooked. Instead of becoming lavish offenders, the PM, President and their cabinets ministers/advisors should adopt austerity.  Is this Democracy or Plunderocracy?

As father of the Nation Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah rightly put: “The Story of Pakistan, its struggle and its achievement, is the story of great human ideals, struggling to survive in the face of great odds and difficulties.”

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"Drones: Death and Destruction"

The UAV’s or “Unmanned Aerial Vehicles” were used earlier in the WWI as aerial torpedoes an early version of today’s cruise missiles, however a large scale production of these unmanned aerial vehicles took place in the WWII. The United States did use a prototype UAV called Operation Aphrodite in World War II. It was an attempt to use manned vehicles in an unmanned mode. Later, the drones were used in the Cold war days, the first such drone was the ‘Firebee’ drone, a jet propelled by an engine made by Ryan Aeronautical Company. They were initially used heavily over Communist China in the 1960s, the Vietnam War (they were used extensively in reconnaissance and combat roles), and Operation Iraqi Freedom (2007). The Hunter and the Pioneer, which are used extensively by the US military, are direct derivatives of Israeli systems. The Pioneer was used in the Gulf War which brought good results (according to the American armed forces). Over the past few years; Israel has been responsible for much of the development that has happened in the UAV sector.

The Predator, an Advanced Technology Demonstration Project, demonstrated its worth in the skies over the Balkans. Some of the current versions of the Predator are loaded with Hellfire missiles for attack purposes. Another popular UAV is the Global Hawk. This is a jet powered UAV that was used effectively in Afghanistan. It operates at around 60,000 feet, and carries a wide range of sensors. UAVs that are in use and under development are both long-range and high-endurance vehicles. The Predator, for instance, can stay in the air for around 40 hours whereas; The Global Hawk can stay in the air for 24 hours. The dramatic increase in the development and use of drones across the US armed services reflects what will be an even more aggressive effort over the next 25 years, according to the new Military report.

The jump in Iraq coincided with the buildup of U.S. forces in 2008 summer as the military swelled its ranks to quell the violence in Baghdad. But Pentagon officials said that even as troops begin to slowly come home this (2008) year, the use of Predators, Global Hawks, Shadows and Ravens will not likely slow. In Afghanistan and Iraq, the use of drones expanded in the year 2010. In 2011, the US Air Force plans to fly as many as 50 drones, or combat air patrols in the war zones, and by 2013 that number will jump to 65, say Air Force officials.

In April 2011, Unmanned aircraft have proven to be powerful weapons in Afghanistan and Iraq and their use have expanded to new areas and operations each year of those conflicts. Some drones are used for surveillance and some, are armed and have been used to hunt and kill militants.

According to Robert Fisk, an international analyst; Al Qaeda was created in the Middle East due to the injustices done on the common people by the puppet governments of the West. Whereas in the west; Al Qaeda flourishes on the hypocrisies and lies of the governments there. Similarly, the attack and invasion of Afghanistan in 1980 with the Soviet war in process the Arab fighters (Mujahedeen) brought in by the CIA have to be destroyed by America now.

The military’s use of armed drones in Afghanistan and the tribal belt of Pakistan has become a flashpoint for Pashtun anger over civilian deaths in the nearly 10-year-old war. The drone attacks are carried out in tricky border-belt areas, where it’s extremely difficult for reporters to operate safely and on their own. Thanks to the work of independent researchers, we do have some information on civilians killed by drones. The drones are an even more contentious weapon in Pakistan, where they are largely operated by the CIA to strike so called insurgents hiding along the border. Pakistan tacitly allows the drone strikes within limited areas but denies in public that it permits the Americans such leeway.

Ironically the CIA’s drone programme was greatly accelerated under President Obama who has authorized more than 160 Predator missions – four times as many as his predecessor, President George W Bush, targeting not just al-Qaeda but Taliban leaders also, hiding in the border areas. There are two views about the use of Drones in Pakistani airspace. The people of Pakistan know by firsthand experience that:  Drones cannot discriminate between civilians and non-civilians/militants, unless there is very good intelligence on the ground. In the west and other countries most people think that drones do a better job than other kinds of weapons, nevertheless, its only the wearer who knows where the shoe pinches.

“The Year of the Drone” 2009 killed five actual militant leaders in Pakistan whereas 700 innocent civilians died due to the drones. According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, in the year 2010, as many as 957 innocent persons became victim of US drone attacks. With such a massive civilian toll and so little to show for it, it is no wonder that Pakistani people have been up in arms over the continued strikes.

In Pakistan, Taliban showed reaction over the drone attacks by suicide bombings in the cities and towns across the country; killing thousands of civilians. Heavy death toll of civilians and security personnel and a huge loss of life and property put resentment into the hearts and minds of common people. The Government’s tacit condolences and protests proved to the Nation that the political leaders had been bought by the US.

There was a halt in the drone strikes while code named Raymond Davis was in Pakistani custody. As soon as he was acquitted (by using the same Sharia law the West hates) a thank you note by the Americans came in the form of drone strike on the 17^th March 2011 in the Pakistani area of North Waziristan where; 40 people died, most of them believed to be civilians and tribal elders meeting to sort out a local land dispute.

According to the Pakistani foreign office, “Drone attacks have become a core irritant in the counter-terror campaign. Pakistan has taken up the matter with the US at all levels,” it said. Pakistani foreign secretary Salman Bashir had lodged a “strong protest” with US Ambassador Cameron Munter, it added.

There is a strong contempt that is felt within the Pakistani active civil society, lawyers, students and the literary circles that there should be an end to this never-ending war that the US has pursued in this part of the region. The drone strikes have led to massive fear in the people of Waziristan and around 800,000 people have been displaced. Schools, hospitals in FATA and Khyber Pakhtun Khwa have been destroyed and the infrastructure in that area is totally damaged.

The tourism industry has totally collapsed particularly in these areas whereas rest of the country too is about to face the same dilemma and that factor has directly and utterly caused a great loss to the country’s economy. Cantonments in the cities of Pakistan have been converted to fortresses due to which security pickets and checking has made the lives of common people of Pakistan a living nightmare.

Facing such and innumerable challenges on daily basis, the people of Pakistan are fed up now. The Radicalization of Pakistan is creating huge unrest among the young of this country. The nation strongly believes now that: It has to stand up and let their voices be heard and felt, internally and externally. The ‘sit in’ by Imran Khan led Pakistan Justice Party has been welcomed by huge numbers of people from all spheres of life. 

The mild responses of the Government of Pakistan in condemnation of drone strikes have deteriorated their repute with the common people. Pakistani’s have had enough and cannot do more to please the US. If America really wants to help Pakistan (as it claims internationally) then it should leave Afghanistan and Pakistan immediately. Rest assured, it will be in their greater interest.


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