When did we start parading semi-naked woman?
I am referring the news flashed today Monday 5th March 2012 by Pakistan Observer under the heading, ’23 held for torturing, parading woman semi-naked’. Admittedly I am continually out of Pakistan since 1976 but nevertheless of course my linkage with my beloved Pakistan is not broken at all and not that I daily read the newspapers at net but also go back home. I was in Lahore from 26th Dec to 6th Jan in any case. However, I fail to understand as to when the practice of parading semi-naked or naked woman started in Pakistan which I have never ever heard of till 1976. During that time also our full official name was Islamic Republic of Pakistan as is the case even today so name wise we have not changed even a bit but regretfully ground realities have changed. It is not the 1st case of the nature rather if my memory has not faded out I have read that some time back a fully naked woman too was paraded publicly. Are we too proud to do alike and not ashamed at all? If we are not stopping it which is very much apparent on the face of it then my question is as to where are we heading to? What could be the improvement in this regard, men and women walking together in natural form as we are born or what? Don’t shy do not ignore either and instead please answer my very simple but piercing and mind boggling question.
Who started it is my very 1st question? When did it happen and where is my next question? What action, if any, had been taken against the person who had committed such incident which was reported is my third question? What role did press play in getting the accused rightly punished is yet another serious question? I am not fully updated on the subject for very obvious reasons but still can say with full conviction and confidence that had the 1st culprit been given exemplary punishment then at least this crime had not surfaced again but alas it did not happen as it should have happened and the result is that such a heinous crime which is totally against the sanctity of woman is committed time and again. She is still and will remain as such come what may as our mother, sister and daughter and all theses relations themselves quite naturally demand inborn respect unless, excuse me for the expression, we have under rated her even below a prostitute who despite being trading in sex does not come naked in public in any case. I very vividly remember that when I was in primary school in Sukkur during mid 1950s, our women folk were very much respected and not every man was looking at women whether young or old; covered or uncovered; city resident or village dweller; rich or poor; beautiful or ugly, to name just a few. It was a very much a common practice that then one could see that men would bow their heads and or turn their faces right or left as and when some woman comes in front of them but with the passage of time our moral values have changed to the extent that we have stooped down even lower than an animal though still we as human being are supreme as Allah has ordained.
Done is done and cannot be reversed or undone. I pray that not only these 23 who have been mentioned in the news but also others who participated in the crime be given life remembering punishments so that all are deterred not to even think to do it again. Lastly, I very sincerely wish that Manzooran Mai should be the last woman and from onward our woman will not be subjected to any parade of any sort what to talk of semi-naked or fully naked parade? Raise your hands who vote for me and I wish none guns me or hurls stones at me
Iqbal Hadi Zaidi / Kuwait