Dr Zakir Naik spent over a week in Pakistan in a tour marred with controversies. It was as if he was not here to deliver lectures but on a spree of giving politically incorrect and problematic statements.
The Indian religious scholar gained respect around the world for his knowledge about comparative religious studies. Seeing him quoting verses and quotations with exact references of different religious texts left people in awe of him. With growing allegations of money laundering and hate speech, he was forced to leave India and take refuge in Malaysia. The irony is that he was so afraid of his government that he said that if he had “moved to Pakistan, India would have labelled me [him] an ISI agent and used false propaganda.” Yet, in the recent visit, he kept comparing Pakistan with India, where he is not even welcome. It all started with him degrading PIA for not giving him a waiver for charges on his team’s 1000 kg luggage. However, a statement by the national flag carrier circulating widely on social media describes that his tour was sponsored by a Pakistani-Malaysian businessman and Dr Naik himself travelled via Qatar Airways, negating his claims of being a “state guest” and having talked to the CEO.
Dr Naik then strongly condemned earning from YouTube, yet he chose to sit with Nadir Ali for a podcast and even appeared in a video with Ducky Bhai. His social media team also posts on socials, also using clickbait headlines like “Pakistani actress Yashma Gill asks Dr Zakir Naik a challenging question” or “Pathan Ladki ne Dr Zakir Naik se Pakistani society ke baray mein contradictory sawaal kia.”
The most bizarre video that sparked a backlash on the internet was when Dr Naik was seen rebuking a young girl for asking a question which he thought wasn’t worded well. Dr Naik, with all the experience in the world, was seen being short with the girl, which left many confused. However, it was his remarks about unmarried women that exposed a chauvinistic mindset. While explaining the core idea behind men having the right to marry more than one woman ‘because they are less in number’, he went ahead to state that women who are left without a man either have to settle for a married one or they will become a “bazaari aurat” which in his words seemed to mean “public property.” He also made a public show of not sharing a stage with orphan girls by saying that they were adults and it is impermissible in Islam to have contact with them. All while standing next to them, making them embarrassingly aware of their gender. Why he could not have told the organisers ahead of time or before going on stage is still unanswered.
Dr Naik gave another example of his misogynistic views in his interview with journalist Fareeha Idrees by saying that women, if they work, should not appear in media uncovered, arguing that this may ‘arouse men’. If seeing a woman for twenty minutes straight doesn’t provoke anything in them, then men, according to him, are “sick” and should seek a psychiatrist. Saying all of this in front of the female anchor sitting opposite him. He reiterated the age-old argument that seeking permission for jobs from men of the house is imperative for Muslim women and that it ‘takes two hands for a clap’, implying that the woman, if not wearing a hijab, prompts a man to harass her, making both of them sinful.
His old videos have been dug out after these statements, where he is seen using controversial arguments, saying things like the marriage of a 13-year-old girl with a man as old as 120 years is viable because both can procreate. In his words, even a rapist will be pardoned if he seeks forgiveness wholeheartedly.
If the government intended to distract Pakistanis from the ongoing situation in the country, as many have assumed was the reason why this controversial orator was invited, the tour has been a success, even though it has clearly ruined the reputation of Dr Naik.
It is 2024 and Dr Naik’s ideologies have not evolved. Consequently, all the reverence he ever garnered is lost for good. It also brings notice to the fact that the recorded, well-prepared lectures were a mask he used to hide under while his actual orthodox ideas are revealed in the impromptu sessions he held in Pakistan. His ideas are obsolete enough to believe that women cannot be leaders and for him it is a “pity” that Muslim countries have more women leaders as ‘their best place is in their homes’. And while it cannot be ignored that a lot of people agree with the fiery preacher’s thoughts, they do not — and should not — have a place in a progressive Pakistan: one that stands on a large female workforce and should promote religious and social harmony.
District Police Officer (DPO) Dr Zahid has made a statement that terrorists used PUBG mobile to share information during attacks on a police post in the Swat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
DPO Swat said, “The three arrested terrorists involved in the police outpost attack have admitted to using PUBG for communication. They had created a chat group in the game to share information that the arrested accused were related to each other.”
On August 28, terrorists attacked the police post with explosives, in which one policeman, Rehmanullah, was killed while two policemen, Shafiullah and Mohammad Ayaz, were injured.
Earlier terrorists used Telegram to communicate, but this is the first time a game’s name has been revealed.
However, we have checked whether creating a chat group in the game and sharing such information is possible.
What’s the reality?
PUBG Mobile is a Chinese game launched in 2018. The Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA) banned it in June 2020, but the ban was lifted later after meeting with company representatives.
This game has very strict rules and regulations on the use of language. Here are a few of them.
-Use of profanity or offensive slang, etc. -Expressions or behaviours that are sexually harassing, such as obscene words or sexual descriptions -Belittling, mocking or criticizing specific regions, religions, races, or individuals with disabilities, etc. -Expressions or behaviours that are threatening or intend to cause fear -Causing discomfort or aversion to users by using expressions or communicating in a manner prohibited by other terms and conditions of use
You can voice chat with eight people (in an 8v8 arena match) but cannot use offensive language.
You cannot write any offensive words. You will face a ban of one or more days if you try multiple times. You cannot even type any offensive word. The game system is organized so that it converts offensive words into *****.
Here is an example:
You can’t create groups in the game but can chat in voice or text while playing. You have to make sure you’re in the game to chat.
The game also requires more than 20 GB of memory and high-speed internet, and the internet speed in those areas is unsuitable for playing it properly.
Last week, when the Karsaz incident came to light, waves of outrage swept the internet as people decried another senseless killing — of a father and his daughter on a motorbike — at the hands of an elite driver in a luxury car, identified as Natasha Danish.
People strongly condemned her nonchalant demeanour seen in videos circulating social media which were recorded moments after the accident.
Natasha also injured a few people that day (reported number varying between 2-5), one of whom is currently fighting for his life on a ventilator.
Surrounded by a large mob, people demanded that the police arrest her, but with Rangers encircling her, she was eventually escorted by private security guards.
Some claimed that Natasha was drunk at the time, while others suggested the influence of drugs.
Some demanded the death penalty while others expressed despair over the justice system, recalling all prior cases involving offenders belonging to influential backgrounds who got away with it — including premeditated murders.
The Current’s previous Editorial contented that since the Karsaz accident was not a premeditated murder, the public should wait for Natasha Danish’s medical report, including her psychological check-up, since, according to her lawyer, she had been on medical treatment for the past five years.
The Editorial also posed a question whether it was fair to jump to conclusions based on one’s appearance and means.
To sum it up: avoid reactionary conclusions on stereotypes and let the law take its course.
We were not wrong but Natasha certainly was.
The days that followed proved every stereotype right yet again.
Natasha Danish was deemed mentally healthy, her medical reports detected use of an illegal recreational drug called ice, she has a British driving licence, and above all, she is the wife of an influential businessman, Danish Iqbal, who is the chief executive officer of Gul Ahmed Energy Limited.
This might explain her unapologetic smirk after the accident — that too at the time when the dead bodies of 60-year-old Imran Arif and his 22-year-old daughter, Amna were lying on the road.
It also explains the consequential anger and despondency among the masses who know that they could be next, lying dead on the roadside, with no justice in the end, and their lives reduced to just another number that can be muffled with the exploitation of money.
It has also been reported that the injured man, who is battling for his life on a ventilator, has not been contacted by Natasha’s family, while the deceased victims’ family have not received a visit to express remorse or even offer condolences to the grieving family.
In fact, according to sources, Natasha’s family claims that her medical reports are doctored, persistently defending her while overlooking the loss of lives.
The recent developments also change the case legally as activist and lawyer Jibran Nasir explains, “Now Natasha will still be charged with manslaughter because of rash and negligent driving.” And while charges will be added for driving under the influence, it cannot be termed as murder since “the drugs were not consumed with the intention to run over somebody.”
“We may not have forgiven them in our hearts, but we have pardoned our son’s killers in the name of Allah. We cannot spend our entire lives in fear… we took the decision considering the circumstances.”
These were the words of the mother of 20-year-old Shahzeb Khan who was shot dead by Sharukh Jatoi, son of a feudal lord, in 2012. The case was taken to an anti-terrorism court in 2013, where Jatoi and other culprits were sentenced to death but in the end, Khan’s parents had to pardon them.
Now that another high-profile case has come to light in a country where justice can be forcefully bought instead of served, the final verdict will decide what so many now truly believe: is Pakistan really for the ice-cold rich?
Last week, former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were handed a seven-year sentence each by a trial court in the iddat or ‘un-Islamic nikah’ case. Senior civil judge Qudratullah pronounced the verdict during proceedings at Adiala jail, on a petition filed by Bushra Bibi’s former husband Khawar Maneka, against the couple’s marriage. The verdict has been termed shameful and an assault on women’s rights by legal experts and civil society.
From The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), Women’s Action Forum (WAF) to Aurat March and legal experts, many have condemned the verdict vociferously. WAF Lahore in its statement said that the verdict “is an assault on women’s autonomy over their bodies, dignity and privacy, setting dangerous precedent for state’s intrusion into the private lives of citizens”. HRCP said that the verdict “could also set a precedent for Section 496 to be weaponised for political purposes”.
Lawyer Reema Omer made a pertinent point that by making a woman’s menstrual cycle the subject of criminal inquiry, “this case has cast a blow to women’s freedom to make decisions about divorce and marriage without fear of being dragged in court”. Aurat March Islamabad will hold a protest tomorrow against this unjust verdict, which has made a mockery of the legal system in Pakistan. This is not the first time that frivolous cases have been made against politicians but it is the first time that a disgusting and vindictive accusation by an ex-husband of a former first lady was levelled and the courts actually gave a verdict in favour of the shameless man while humiliating a woman in the process by taking away her agency. It was good to see that Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari took a firm stand against the verdict and said that we should not stoop to this level in politics.
He also highlighted how this verdict can impact the efforts made in the past to safeguard women’s rights. Mr. Bhutto is not wrong in his assertion. The low level to which the state has stooped in order to humiliate a politician who has fallen out of favour is a blot on the justice system as well as score-settling. The verdict has set a precedent that judges and courts can now monitor women’s menstrual cycles, with some saying that the country might as well let all gynaecologists go and let the judges and courts give their expertise in this department.
From Fatima Jinnah to Benazir Bhutto to Bushra Bibi, we have seen how men hold the power to slander women for their personal gains and get away with it. No Pakistani citizen should remain silent on this shameful verdict and we all must register our protest at how this has taken our entire struggle and progress years back. It is not the state’s business to declare a marriage null and void in this shameless manner. At the end of the day, this verdict can impact each and every woman with a vindictive ex-husband. We hope that this sham of a verdict will be overturned as soon as possible in a high court. No woman will forgive the trial court that gave this verdict and no woman should ever trust the justice system again if this is not overturned and an apology issued not just to Bushra Bibi but all women of Pakistan.
Cricket is the third most popular sport in the world with approximately 2.5 billion fans spread across the globe. The gentleman’s game, mocked at times for being slow, has morphed into a fast-paced, adrenalin- pumping speedy ride.
The first international match between two countries was played between United States of America (USA) and Canada in New York in 1844, but the fact that the International Cricket Council (ICC) did not exist in 1844, means this match wasn’t recognizes as an official game. The first official cricket match was played between Australia and England in Melbourne in 1877.
The first cricket World Cup was organized in 1975 in England, with the mighty West Indies walking away with the trophy.
How India destroying cricket for other countries?
India won just two matches in the 1975 and 1979 World Cup tournaments, the weakest team at that time. Wisden Sports magazine’s Chief Editor David Frith had infamously written in an article that a team like India should not play in the tournament if they have not improved and if a team like India wins, “I will eat my words.”
In the 1983 World Cup, India won four out of six matches in the group stage, cementing their place in the semi-finals where they defeated England by six wickets.
The final was played between India and West Indies, the hot favorite team after winning two World Cups in a row. All the odds were stacked against India, but the country created history on June 25, defeating West Indies at Lords, and lifting the Cup.
The historic win gave Narendra Kumar Prasadrao (NKP) Salve the confidence he needed to grab the mantle of the British’s own game from them. NKP Salve befriended Sri Lanka and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to form the Asian Cricket Committee, on which ICC had no control in 1984. They arranged a tournament between Asian teams, named Asia Cup. This was Salve’s way of telling Britishers that the southern countries could host tournaments too.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had no money to host a World Cup at first. Salve asked Pakistan to host the next world cup together. Then Salve contacted Dhirubhai Ambani with the help of Indira Gandhi. When the money was arranged, Mr. Salve put forth his proposal at the next ICC Meeting.
There was no rule before this that a new nation will host a World Cup. NKP Salve proposed a Rotational Policy. According to this policy “A new nation will host the World Cup after every four years.”
Australia and New Zealand agreed, . And when voting took place, India and Pakistan got the hosting of 1987 World Cup.
It was a success, but BCCI didn’t make any money 30 years ago. Even after the 83 tournament, Indian players would get INR 200 per day allowance and 1500 as match fees.
The South African cricket team was returning to international cricket in 1991 after a gap of 21 years and they were going to play their first three match ODI series against India.
At that time Indian television Doordrshan was broadcasting these matches and they were charging money for broadcasting instead of paying, and BCCI was just earning on tickets and on-ground advertisements.
But this time they kept the broadcasting rights in their hand and sold it to South African television channel for $200,000.
On the same year India opened their market for globalization foreign companies. New money started floating into India at the same time, these foreign companies wanted to market their products in India and nothing was watched more than cricket.
Because of satellite television, cricket was now seen even in small villages of India. It was great for these companies and BCCI. In 1993, India sold broadcast rights of England’s tour of India to a broadcasting company TWI for $600,000.
In no time, BCCI became the richest cricket board in the world. However, things change after you get rich. Remember, how NKP Salve grabbed 1987’s World Cup from England. It was decided according to rotational policy that England will host 1996’s World Cup.
But in 1996, a broadcaster named Mark Mascarhanes made an offer to BCCI that if India hosts the tournament, then he would give $ 14 million for broadcasting. BCCI liked the offer and got the hosting of 1996 World Cup.
But in 1996, Australia and West Indies refused to play their matches in Sri Lanka. Then a BCCI administrator Jagmohan Dalmiya thought, ICC’s next Chairman should be an Asian.
In 1997, Dalmiya contested ICC elections, and won.
But the question is, how?
Actually Mr. Dalmiya knew one thing, that most of ICC’s full time members would vote for the English Boards favorite candidate. At that time, associate teams had one vote each in these elections, but the representatives of these associate teams had no money to be present in the elections being held in London.
So Mr. Dalmiya bought tickets for representatives of associate teams, booked hotels in London for them, even hosted a dinner party for them before elections and when elections happened these representatives voted for Mr. Dalmiya and he won. Now an Indian was the boss of the world of cricket.
Indian Premier League (IPL) is the second richest sports league in the world, with a net worth surpassing 15 billion dollars but IPL is not the only T20 cricket league in the world. Every cricket Board has made their own cricket leagues, but BCCI does not allow their players to play in these leagues.
BCCI knows, value of these leagues might increase because of Indian viewership and if their value increases it might dilute the power of BCCI. So Indian players are not allowed to participate.
These boards have become so weak that they have to listen everything that BCCI orders because these boards only make money when India tours their countries. BCCI uses this very thing to get their things done in world cricket.
In 2012 England’s former Chief Justice submitted an independent report to ICC In which, he suggested some changes in governance. He felt that ICC shouldn’t be a Member Club Cricket Power is leaning to one side especially towards India. Associate nations aren’t getting enough funds, cricket won’t grow in these countries without funds.
BCCI takes the biggest share, ICC has only 12 full time members and 96 associate members. These members are underfunded. There is no chance that, cricket will grow in these countries without funds. Once $30,000 were given to the Chinese cricket board to improve cricket there. [2008 stats, current stats are not published]. China’s population is around 1.5 billion, how’s that even possible, that cricket will grow in country like China with such a small fund?
It’s not only about associate nations, even full time members are being further weakened. If we see the latest ICC Men’s Future Tours Program India will play most of the matches with top teams and with Zimbabwe and Ireland, India will play three and two matches respectively in five years, when Zimbabwe and Ireland are also full time members.
As far as the administrators of the game are concerned, they don’t care about West Indies Cricket. West Indies Cricket Board is bankrupt today, two times world champion team couldn’t even qualify for World Cup 2023, just because of lack of funds. How will these teams, cricket boards grow without the funds?
ICC is unofficially run by BCCI and instead of growing the game, they are shrinking it. In 2007’s World Cup, 16 teams played the tournament, and in 2023’s, only 10 teams participated. Apart from this there were 26 teams in International Association Football Federation (FIFA) World Cup 2006, and now there are 48 teams participating in 2026 World Cup.
You know why?
In 2007’s World Cup, India was eliminated early from the tournament, they could only play three matches. Broadcasters had to face a loss. If India had played more matches, broadcasters would have benefitted. BCCI reduced the teams and the format is designed in a way that India will definitely play nine matches.
BCCI doesn’t care about winning World Cups, they just want to make money. I feel, this sport should spread like football all around the world. With only 10 teams, it’s becoming boring and I think cricket has power to spread peace and happiness.
HowBCCI is killing Cricket:
You won’t believe it, from 2024 onwards, there will be no international cricket played for 2.5 months, only IPL. Isn’t this the murder of the sport we love so much?
Indian cricket is mostly run by Indian politicians and businessmen. Arun Jaitley’s son is president of Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA). Rajasthan’s CM’s Son Vaibhav Gehlot is President of Rajhistan cricket Association (RCA,) Sharad Pawar’s grandnephew is a President of Mumbai cricket association (MCA), Anurag Thakur, BJP politician, was a president Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) from there he became a president of BCCI.
Today his brother is a president of HPCA. Ashok Sigamani is president of Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA), the son of a Minister Jyotiradhitya Scindia is the president of Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA), his father was president of BCCI.
BCCI treasurer Chirayu Amin’s son Pranav Amin is Bihar cricket association (BCA)’s President, Sourav Ganguly’s brother is a President Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) and the most fun example of this is Gujarat cricket associations former president was Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He gave that post to Amit Shah after becoming Prime Minister and today, Amit Shah’s son Jay Shah is the secretary of BCCI and I’m only talking about a few states here.
Cricket shouldn’t be run by politicians and businessmen, it should be run by former cricketers, that’s it. I’m the biggest fan of cricket, like any Pakistani, I can’t bear to see one private organization is controlling the growth of this game. I want this sport to grow all over the world because this sport can do many good things.
Afghanistan cricket team is one such example, these players initially used to live in refugee camps, they played World Cup in 2015 and you know what, Afghanistan cricket was initially helped by Pakistan.
But it feels like there are people in BCCI who don’t care about the growth of this game. They just want to make money, they just want to keep their power safe, even if they have to kill this centuries old sport to achieve that.
Note: This information is collected from various platform, like cricket websites, YouTube, Facebook etc.
Afghan deportation under the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan launched by the caretaker setup has instigated a huge humanitarian crisis in the country. As people who have called Pakistan home for decades leave unwillingly, their children strapped to their pitiful belongings in small trucks, three sets of views have become prevalent in the country.
The first is propounded by the government: the situation of unrest and civil war has quelled in Afghanistan so it’s time for these refugees to go back. Because the land they come from is contributing to rising terrorism in Pakistan, their exit is inevitable. This narrative is deeply rooted in a superiority complex coming from hosting Afghans for decades, as is evident by the affirmative statements said as a foreword to every such explanation.
The second is the humanitarian stance where it is claimed that people who have lived here for years are not alien anymore, giving them refuge has brought aid of millions of dollars to Pakistan, and that this forceful expulsion is against the rights of refugees.
The third point of view stems from the ground realities. It is about the reality and not the narrative. This view is not just looking at the expulsion of Afghans, it is also seeing latent racism, poor execution of the plan, the rush in which it has been carried out, and the fatal flaws it carries. This view sees that the deportation is being carried out by an unelected government, blind raids are being conducted where people with legal documents are getting arrested, contrary to the claims of the government that only illegal foreigners will be arrested. It also shows video documents of the Pashtun community being targeted, even if they are Pakistani – picked up by the police and deported to foreign lands only because they look like, or talk like, them. It sees families getting harassed, and children being separated from parents even though these guardians are desperately proving their Pakistaniat. It displays the human tragedy that is unfolding before our eyes without any media coverage.
Some experts believe that the policy is part of a broader retaliation for the Afghan Taliban’s failure to rein in the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), even as the militant group orchestrates attack upon attack on Pakistani soil.
Videos have emerged where parents are showing the birth certificates of children who do not hold a CNIC yet are sent to the Chaman border for the journey to Afghanistan. Anas, a 16-year-old boy, managed to call his father, pleading with him to save him from being deported while the SHO in front of the holding centre nonchalantly said that people sent by mistake are not going to be reproduced by the authorities. Media presence is already banned in the holding centres and there is no way to question this. The mainstream media is also not giving the matter due attention.
The government is turning a blind eye to the suffering of four million Afghan refugees forced to leave on the brink of a hard winter to a land foreign to them since they were born here.
The government does not need to emulate any country when it is itself setting an unprecedented level of cruelty.
Siding with xenophobia is a xenophobic act in itself.
The recent tragic incident involving the son of a prominent religious scholar, Maulana Tariq Jamil, has once again brought the discussion of mental health to the forefront.
The heartbreaking revelation that Asim Jamil, son of Maulana Tariq Jamil, couldn’t survive due to severe depression and eventually took his own life, highlights the urgent need to address the often-neglected intersection between religion and mental health.
According to the elder son of Maulana Tariq Jamil, Yousaf Jamil, Asim had been grappling with severe depression since childhood. Despite undergoing treatment, including Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), his mental illness only deepened in the last six months.
As evidenced by Asim’s case, where even Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) proved ineffective, the necessity of professional medical intervention in severe cases of mental illness cannot be overstated.
Despite the claims of certain public figures such as Resham, who said that depression “does not exist” and Feroz Khan, who while responding to a fan’s question regarding curing depression among 21-25 years old girls said: “Obey your men. Give them your responsibility and sit back and enjoy grapes. I’d do that if I was a woman. Be a queen,” it is important to recognise the limitations of this approach.
It is pertinent to mention that the suicide rate in Pakistan has alarmingly crossed eight per cent (per 100,000 people), according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), and this can significantly be associated with mental health problems.
According to WHO, there are only 0.19 psychiatrists in Pakistan per 100,000 inhabitants, one of the lowest numbers in the WHO-EMRO region as well as the entire world. The absence of trained mental health professionals in the country has created a major treatment gap, leaving more than 90 per cent with mental health issues untreated.
Unfortunately, we, as a cultural collective, only end up making fun of people with mental health issues, sweep it under the carpet or pretend as if mental health is not an issue at all. We forget that globally, one in eight people have mental health conditions. We forget that being insensitive to mental health issues only increases the pain and agony of those who are facing these issues.
In a country where we think a mentally troubled young man’s illness will be cured if he gets married, where we think talking about mental illness or seeking therapy or psychiatric treatment means you’re either not ‘man enough’, ‘weak’ or ‘mental’, we must raise awareness about mental health and how medical science can help resolve these issues.
The unfortunate incident involving Asim Jamil highlights the urgency of destigmatising conversations surrounding mental health. It is imperative to foster an environment where individuals feel comfortable discussing their struggles openly without fear of judgement or discrimination.
In the last week alone, the world has been witness to two immense tragedies that played out at sea. Tragic as both events were, the public seems to be divided on which party to extend their empathy and/or sympathy toward: the 300+ Pakistani migrants that drowned after a trawler capsized off the south coast of Greece, or the Pakistani billionaire and his 19 year old son that died in an implosion thousands of metres below the surface of the North Atlantic Ocean?
One only need to peruse through the comments under The Current’s reporting on the tragedies to understand what the two sides believe in. On the one hand, individuals are calling out the difference in response to both calamities and suggesting that Shahzada Dawood, Vice-Chairman of Engro Corporation, made a choice to die when he paid $500,000 for him and his son to travel to see the Titanic’s wreckage. Yet, this side maintains, the migrants aboard the trawler had ‘no choice’ but to embark on such a perilous journey to better fortune.
On the other hand, people are shocked by the Pakistani public’s ability to extend and withdraw empathy on the basis of an individual’s wealth – or lack thereof. The Dawoods were renowned philanthropists in the country, donating millions of their wealth to education and healthcare (notwithstanding the argument that, admittedly, it’s probably because they had those millions to spare). Should empathy not be extended to the wealthy that donated vast amounts to projects providing higher-education opportunities to Pakistanis? Should empathy only be extended if the wealthy are charitable?
What is perhaps most interesting – and also practically self-evident – is the anger drawn from the media coverage of both tragedies. The OceanGate submersible was dominating global headlines the second it was announced ‘missing’, up until the moment they realised there was no hope. Meanwhile, the Greek migrant boat tragedy only saw a couple days of reporting – even though there is currently an ongoing investigation concerning the complicity or negligence of both Greek authorities and border authority Frontex on the discrepancies found in communication.
While there is more than plenty to criticise in regards to the stark difference with which both calamities were responded to, it is hugely counterintuitive to compare the loss of lives. It is indeed likely that the migrants were condemned to their deaths by the authorities. In transcripts published by AlarmPhone, and analyses of vessels in the area around the time the trawler sent out an alarm signal, discrepancies in official statements made by the European authorities are enough to merit investigations. Moreover, accusations have abounded regarding the Greek coast guard’s role in the eventual capsize. Pakistani survivors of the wreck reported that the boat only capsized after the Greek coast guard started towing it.
Of course, anger is bound to arise when one compares that scenario to a full-blown military-scale search for the five individuals onboard the missing submersible. However, the people offering no sympathy to Shahzada and his young son Suleman, simply because they paid a lot of money to be in that position, are largely misplacing their anger. The tragic plight of migrants and refugees is not new to us: they were not simply left to their deaths only because they are poor as compared to the Dawoods.
Anti-immigrant sentiment is on the rise in Europe. Far-right parties with anti-immigrant policies have risen in popularity and have become quite verbose on how unwelcome immigrants are. Within such a growing sentiment – while it by no means justifies the tragedy – one simply cannot expect the same level of frantic search. It isn’t because those lives were not worth the search: it’s because those lives, in the clinical eyes of the Europeans, simply meant a burden on their existing economy and resources.
So yes, we should be angry. We should be absolutely livid at such blatant disregard for life. But to redirect that anger to two completely innocent Pakistanis who also encountered a tragic fate, simply because they’re rich, is quite unfounded. It could have made sense if the two incidents were correlated beyond just their occurrence in the sea – say, if the authorities meant to search for the migrants were redirected to the submersible.
At the end of the day, the families of the migrants have seen their entire world shatter, much like the Dawood family. To weigh the worth of lives on such a material basis such as wealth is counterintuitive to the anger felt by the loss of them. And to compare such tragedies distracts us from the larger, more pertinent structural issues that led to the worst migrant boat disaster in recent history.
To Nooran Makhdoom, the writer of the drama ‘Tere Bin’.
How you chose to write your script is your own business. But to say that a heinous act like marital rape is justified and needed for the script is completely wrong and horrifying, as well as an insight into how the Pakistani entertainment industry keeps alienating women every year.
This spectacle started on Friday, when the promo for the upcoming episode showed that after accusing Murtasim of cheating on her with Haya, Meerab is raped by her husband as punishment. Social media users were rightfully horrified, which led to a stream of hashtags like ‘Shame on Tere Bin Makers’ and ‘Nooran’, with users beginning to withdraw their support from the once popular drama, and criticising the production team for taking such a heinous step without realising its consequences and impact.
Instead of listening to your fans and hearing their well-justified complaints about Meerab’s rape, you, Ms. Makhdoom, have instead decided to double down on your stand and defend it. In your statement to Arab News, you said that this is just a drama, and that this had not happened for the first time, so fans should stop complaining about every single episode.
Now, Ms Makhdoom, we have to point out that you are entirely wrong to dismiss these complaints. Because:
a. Marital rape is a crime, and many women in Pakistan suffer from it.
b. Films and dramas are more than just means of entertainment. They are powerful tools to influence audiences.
Let us break down all of this to you because clearly, you are not aware about the audience you are writing for.
Marital rape has been declared as a human rights violation by the United Nations High Commissioner For Human Rights in 1993, when they included it in the ‘Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women’. However, in Pakistan where approximately 40% of women have experienced physical or emotional violence in their lifetime, there are no laws that recognise this as an illegal act.
Already Ms. Makhdoom, you must be aware that the country you are writing dramas for, is one where women are not granted financial independence or any form of security so that if they are suffering from violence, they find some solace and escape. But because of cultural restrictions that prevent women from finding support, as well as a dilapidating justice system that refuses to help survivors, very few women live to see the day when they are able to escape their abusers with ease.
So to stress on why saying this is ‘just a drama’ is wrong, these kinds of scenes undermine the difficult realities of women in Pakistan. It refuses to acknowledge them as individuals with the right to reject sex from men, whether or not they are married to them. And such actions being normalised by some of the top rated dramas in this country will only further erode the little progress that has improve the rights of women in Pakistan.
Furthermore, dramas aren’t ‘just dramas’ Ms. Makhdoom, but powerful instruments of change that can influence the masses that are watching them. As a script writer, you do not get to evade the responsibility that comes with being a public figure, because ultimately the public looks up to you and is watching your dramas to learn more about the society around them. Which is why, it speaks volumes about the way our entertainment industry has continued to dig itself further and further into a hole when one of the highest rated dramas of a country which has been declared as the fourth most dangerous country for women, thinks that showing marital rape is okay.
It’s never okay. And we urge you, Ms. Makhdoom, to stop hiding behind such baseless defences, and actually look down to see the consequences of the narrative you are promoting. Women in Pakistan are in pain. And it is only when public figures like you take responsibility for your actions and stop churning out such debauched dramas for the sake of good ratings, that we can actually progress forward.
The shocking rape of a 14-year-old girl, who was allegedly raped by her father and brother, has once again proven that there is no safe space for women in Pakistan. The girl, a resident of Azad Kashmir, was taken to a hospital by her mother after she complained of stomachache. Doctors discovered that the girl was pregnant and about to give birth. Investigation revealed that the victim’s brother and father raped her several times during the last few months. The DNA of the baby she birthed matches that of her brother’s. Imagine the horror and fear of the girl who was not safe in her own house and where her own father and brother were her rapists and tormentors.
Pakistan has staggering statistics that expose the rape epidemic in the country. In October last year, almost 21,900 women were reported to have been raped in Pakistan from 2017 to 2021. This meant that approximately 12 women were raped every day, or one every two hours, throughout the country. According to media reports, approximately 350 rape instances were recorded in Punjab, between May 2022 and August 2022. The Current records the tally of rape cases that are reported in news outlets on a daily basis to highlight the alarming situation. And not a single day goes by when rape isn’t reported in any city but that too doesn’t represent the actual figures because not all rape cases are reported. It’s hard to imagine what the real figures must be. Women around the country are raped, abused, and harassed every day, enduring it incessantly because the state and society has failed to ensure their safety. Occasionally, a rape case emerges in the media that elicits particular fury and ignites massive protests, while exposing the culpability of our society; the cradle for rape culture, the breeding ground that lets rapists get away by promoting victim-blaming.
Everything about this incident tells the the horrifying story of impunity with which Pakistani men commit crimes, without an ounce of remorse. And then there are men like Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) Nabil Gabol, who have the audacity to pass disgusting comments about rape. In a recent interview, Gabol casually remarked: “When rape is inevitable, just enjoy it.” How can one be so heartless to say such sickening words? Gabol’s words garnered massive backlash, and rightly so. Pakistanis were angry, and outraged at the politician’s lack of sensitivity. The PPP politician apologised for his remarks later, saying that he regretted if his words had hurt women. But then he went on to blame Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters for launching a social media campaign against him. After issuing an apology for his misogynistic remarks, Nabil Gabol decided to defend his statement with a screenshot of PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s interview with Time Magazine. Gabol wrote that Aurat March organisers or journalists had not called Khan out for his past problematic statements. Gabol further said if he lost weight and looked handsome like Khan, then the backlash wouldn’t have happened. This non-apology and attack on women who raise their voice for victims of abuse shows that Gabol only apologised because of the backlash on social media but didn’t mean it. As if his non-apology was not enough, Gabol’s son Nadir came out to defend his father’s thoughtlessness and said that his father had intended to say: “Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.” It is shocking that even today men have the audacity to utter such nauseating words.
And yet, we question and pass comments on the severity of the situation. To the hopelessness and rage that fills our hearts, may women find security, protectiveness and justice in this country. Will this ever stop, is a question we ask ourselves often. Our society and justice system have failed the women of Pakistan. It is because of these attitudes that Pakistan ranks as the second-worst country on the gender gap index. Are you surprised?
