When Punjab Assembly members were deliberating on ‘Protection of Women Against Violence’ bill, tickers on TV channels were informing their viewers of routine domestic violence and abuse against women all across the country. If these tickers were not good enough to prove the necessity of such a landmark bill, angry statements from religious scholars ensured it’s really hitting the abetters of the violence who generally hid behind the so-called religious and tribal traditions. These falsified traditions have prevented from recognizing the weak gender a complete human being but an inferior specie. As we celebrate the incoming changes in penal codes to protect the women from domestic and other forms of violence, we shall recognize that our society is 24X7 led by clergy and media wherein one considers the violence a lawful right of men while the other occasionally interested in glorifying such violence. These two organs of the society are on the forefront so to set up its mindset; unless this mindset is changed, a perpetual cycle of violence against the weak gender will continue. In presence of obvious resistance from the society, one would expect a strict implementation of the bill may have some impact on mindsets.
As we congratulate Punjab Assembly on such a remarkable move, we look forward towards same sort of bills from National and other provinces assemblies. It’s not a problem of one province only, but this issue covers most of the 3rd world which is still interwind with religious and tribals traditions which empower those with more physical power to cause violence. Unless we recognize the intellect qualities over physical powers, we will continue to live in medieval times.
MASOOD KHAN,
Saudi Arab, February 26.