For many yesterday was a big day for Pakistan as Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was sent packing home. For Khadija Siddiqui and her Lawyer Hassan Niazi the coming day would be historic one- for 14 months she has fought with all her strength and will, to get justice against Shah Hussain who stabbed her 23 times, left irreparable scars not only on her body but her psyche also.
Khadija Siddiqui survived 23 stabs in broad daylight on Davis Road Lahore and stood up to get justice from the courts. Her younger sister was a witness to this barbaric act who has yet not recovered from the shock.
During one hearing the opponent lawyers cross examined Khadija Siddiqui for nine hours, they not only tried to do character assassination by showing her pictures with some class fellows and celebrities but also questioned if she was a virgin. They did it only to disgrace her and bring pressure on her so that she may step back from the case, which left everyone wondering of its relevance to the attack? No matter what their relationship was there is no justification for the attack.
Yet Khadija has stood firm against the perpetrator and the lawyers who are fighting his case, no doubt she is a fighter.
People were happy to learn that the Judge of Lahore High Court who is hearing this case, had refused to let the opponent’s lawyer present personal pictures and pass objectionable remarks against Khadija. Every case should be dealt in such a manner especially where it involves sensitive matters like a rape case, the honour of girls or physical wellbeing, that no woman should be shamed, ridiculed, or tortured for the sake of justice. As for the lawyers, its time they must also learn to behave themselves. They have turned into goons and when things do not go in their favor they start putting up a racket. Leaving the judge with no option than to tame them.
In this context during the Panama case when the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) summoned Maryam Nawaz for questions all hell broke loose with the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) bashing at the JIT waving the red card: ‘Woman, Islam and Honour, even saying ‘our daughter’ was brought to court.
Maryam Nawaz in her turn preached about Islam, honour and how painful it must have been for her father to see his daughter appear before the court.
For nearly two days, social media and talk shows on the television were abuzz with debate on the ‘daughter of the nation’ being called in to the court.
Many people raised the questions regarding the daughter of the nation.
Who is daughter of the nation?
What is the criteria of becoming daughter of the nation?
Is this label only appropriate for Nawaz Sharif’s daughter? Wasn’t Benazir Bhutto also the daughter of a Prime Minister? If we recall history, we see Benazir Bhutto and Nusrat Bhutto being ill-treated by their opponents. Not to forget how Nawaz himself did the character assassination of Benazir on various occasions. For our elder generation at least Benazir was daughter of the nation too, but she did not cry foul like Maryam Nawaz did. Maryam surely needs to go through history to know what her father said and did to that daughter.
Let’s put these daughters, born in limelight, aside and talk about our daughters, the actual ones. In Pakistan, what is their importance in the families? The moment a woman wants to go to the police station or even to a court – bells start ringing and everyone tries to stop them.
Is Khadija not a daughter? Why is she threatened constantly? Isn’t Khadija’s father in pain to witness her daughter going to the court? Does anyone realise what her family might have gone through when those obnoxious questions were put in front her in the court? But then, she is not the nation’s daughter, she is our daughter, so she can be treated anyway they like.
I have a question for Maryam Nawaz and the PML(N) leadership, how can anyone say nothing for Khadija’s rights, or not even try to stand by her? If Maryam's respect and honour was being hurt by going to the court, what about Khadija’s? Juxtapose!
If by any chance, Maryam plans to participate in the coming elections, one has to remember apart from other things that she did not raise her voice for the women, irrespective of her political or social standing.
Recently during a public meeting, Nawaz ridiculed the ladies of Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) and Maryam did not condemn it; nor did she say anything to Khawaja Asif when he called Sherin Mazari a Tractor Trolley on the floor of the Parliament, yet everyone had an issue with her appearing before the JIT.
Hopefully today Khadija Siddiqui will get justice. As for many, only Khadija is the true face of the daughter of the nation for she stood up not only for herself but for the women of Pakistan facing injustice, dishonour and character assassination, just like her.