Tag: pakistani women

  • Whether a woman chooses a burqa or a bikini, she has the right to decide for herself: Malala

    Whether a woman chooses a burqa or a bikini, she has the right to decide for herself: Malala

    Nobel Laureate and Women’s Education Rights Activist Malala Yousafzai, in a recent essay, Please stop telling us how to dress, has talked about the criticism and pressure women have to face on the choice of their dressing.

    Malala, sharing some text from her essay on her Instagram, wrote: “Years ago I spoke against the Taliban forcing women in my community to wear burqas – and last month I spoke against Indian authorities forcing girls to remove their hijabs at school. These aren’t contradictions – both cases involve objectifying women. If someone forces me to cover my head, I will protest. If someone forces me to remove my scarf, I will protest.”

    “Whether a woman chooses a burqa or a bikini, she has the right to decide for herself. Come and talk to us about individual freedom and autonomy, about preventing harm and violence, about education and emancipation. Do not come with your wardrobe notes,” she added.

    “Someday I might make changes to my wardrobe. I also might not. But exploring and understanding clothing will remain part of my life, as will defending every woman’s right to determine what she wears. I love my patterned, floral shalwar kameez. I love my jeans too. And I am proud of my scarves,” she wrote while concluding her essay.

  • Less than 1% Pakistani women divorced: Pulse Consultant

    Less than 1% Pakistani women divorced: Pulse Consultant

    Pulse Consultant has launched a series of statistical information about Pakistani women with the name of “Pink Pakistan”. As per the first part of the report, 98.4 per cent of women over the age of 10 are not active economically.

    As per the report, 68 per cent of female population is married and only 0.57 per cent are divorced.

    The report also revealed that every second woman in Pakistan is literate.

    Another report published by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) for the year 2021 revealed a huge gender gap in social media users of Pakistan.

  • Despite so many good looking men, ads feature women, Tahir Asharfi criticises Pak ads

    Despite so many good looking men, ads feature women, Tahir Asharfi criticises Pak ads

    Special Representative of the Prime Minister on Religious Harmony Maulana Tahir Ashrafi has criticised advertisements featuring women. “Despite having so many good looking men in the country, advertisers still hire women to represent their brands.”

    Tahir, while addressing a press conference at the Punjab Institute of Quran and Seerat Studies, said that he is against the practice of women being “unnecessarily featured in advertisements”.

    Talking about the strategy of curbing Islamophobia, Tahir Ashrafi said, “For this purpose, the government has started reaching out to different Islamic scholars across the globe.”

    “The ulema have a role to play in eradicating obscenity, terrorism, and extremism from the country,” said Maulana Tahir Ashrafi  while talking about the increase in sexual crimes.

  • After marriage, women can keep their father’s name on CNIC: NADRA

    After marriage, women can keep their father’s name on CNIC: NADRA

    Chairperson of The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) Tariq Malik, while addressing the concluding session of the 14th Annual Rural Women Conference, has said that Women now free to retain their father’s name on CNIC after marriage.

    The chairperson said that NADRA is abolishing an “unofficial policy” that made it compulsory for women to replace their father’s name with their husband’s name on their computerized national identity cards.

    He clarified that there was no official policy by NADRA that made it compulsory for women to change their surname after marriage, Dawn News has reported.

    Earlier you were required to get a new card with your husband’s name on it. That restriction has now been lifted.

    “We are breaking down this policy and women now have the authority to register themselves with their father’s or husband’s name…It’s their choice and not of a man’s,” said Malik.

  • Usman Mirza threatened to gang-rape victim if she did not have sex with her friend

    The police has submitted a challan in the the Islamabad couple harassment case. The challan submitted at an Islamabad sessions court states that there are seven accused in the crime. In addition to Usman, the others are Farhan Shaheen, Hafiz Ataur Rehman, Adaras Qayyum Butt, Rehan Hassan Mughal, Umar Bilal and Mohib Bangash.

    The woman’s statement recorded in front of the magistrate states that that Usman Mirza and the other suspects threatened to gang-rape her if she did not have sex with her friend while they filmed it. 

    “I was frightened because of their threats; they tortured me and forcibly removed the trouser of my friend,” the woman stated, adding: “The accused persons then forced her to perform a nude dance in front of them.”

    “Upon my refusal, he [Usman] started beating me. He slapped me and forced me to walk nude in front of his friends,” the challan cited the statement of the girl as saying.

    The man and woman were being blackmailed by Usman Mirza. “The men extorted Rs1.15 million from the complainants,” the investigation officer told the court. Out of the Rs. 1.15 million, Rs600,000 was taken by Mirza and the remaining amount was distributed among other suspects, he added.

    The police have forwarded the mobile phones of the accused for forensic analysis and requested the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

    Usman Mirza was arrested on July 7 after the disturbing video went viral on social media where he could be seen torturing and assaulting a couple. He was also seen stripping a woman in the video.

  • APPLY: Five scholarships for women who want to leave Pakistan

    APPLY: Five scholarships for women who want to leave Pakistan

    The frightful mass sexual assault which took place on Independence day has shaken the women of this nation to its core. It has also made all Pakistani women comprehend that they are not safe even in broad light and ‘so called’ public areas. Don’t you think it is high time to take your decision into your own hands?

    As an undergraduate student, since this incident, I am afraid that what will happen once university opens. So with this thought, I researched and came across some exciting and wonderful opportunities for women to study abroad for session 2022-23.

    British Chevening scholarship

    This fully-funded program enables Pakistanis to pursue a one-year Master’s degree in the United Kingdom (UK). They will cover your one visa application and even airfare travel costs to and from the UK, but you must have a two-year work experience. The last date to apply is November 2nd, 2021.

    KAIST South Korea Scholarship

    One of the top Public universities, The KAIST (Korean Advanced Institute Of Science and Technology) is ranked #39 in QS Global World. Your full tuition fee, living expenses (per month), and medical health insurance are guaranteed under this scholarship for 2022-2023. You can apply for any level, their eligibility criteria are pretty simple.

    Fulbright program

    The scholarship operates in more than 160 countries worldwide. Under this, approximately 4,000 foreign students receive Fulbright scholarships each year. Pakistanis can not only apply for studies, but for work purposes scholarships as well. The deadline is in April, don’t miss this out.

    Türkiye Burslari Scholarships

    A government-funded, competitive scholarship program, awarded to students and researchers to pursue full-time or short-term programs at the top universities in Turkey. As a Pakistani resident, you will be given some preferences. A great opportunity for students.

    Hood College International Merit Scholarship 

    This college in the United States welcomes applications from qualified candidates holding a minimum of a bachelor’s degree, at least a 2.75-grade point average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale or equivalent. It has multiple degree programs so one can apply to any.

    According to the ‘Global Gender Gap Report 2021’ published by the World Economic Forum (WEF), Pakistan ranked 153rd out of 156 countries on the gender parity index and seventh among eight countries in South Asia, only better than Afghanistan.

  • #NotAllMen trends after 400 men publicly assault a woman

    Hashtag ‘Not All men’ is trending on Twitter, a day after FIR was filed against 400 men for assaulting a woman at Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore. The hashtag has at least 5,300 tweets, till the time of filling the story. This was the second top trend on Pakistani Twitter after the hashtag #lahoreincident.

    People are calling out those who are using the hashtag #NotAllMen:

    https://twitter.com/iamtbkhayat/status/1427720052187488257?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1427720052187488257%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fthecurrent.pk%2F%3Fp%3D124957

    People are showing their outrage on social media after a video went viral that shows a woman being sexually assaulted by a large group of men at Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore on 14 August, Pakistan’s independence day. The incident has been confirmed after a First Information Report (FIR) was registered.

    Politicians including Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and Shehbaz Sharif have condemned the incident.

  • Women’s Action Forum condemns ‘reprehensible’ attack at Minar-e-Pakistan

    Women’s Action Forum (WAF) has condemned the “reprehensible attack” at Minar-e-Pakistan, Lahore. The statement of condemnation came a day after FIR was registered against 400 unidentified men for assaulting a woman.

    “This is yet another painful reminder that women and girls are not safe in Pakistan, and that public spaces are increasingly becoming breeding grounds for harassment, violence, and abuse inflicted upon women. We are horrified by the inhumane behaviour the men at Minar-e-Pakistan displayed and that too on Independence day, which reflects the free reign men in this country possess to behave violently without facing any form of accountability,” the press release shared by the forum stated.

    The statement also shed light on the irresponsible reporting of the incident by the local media. “Interviews given by the survivor on digital media has clearly shown how trauma is also being used to create sensationalism and it is important to remember that clips of her being mass groped may continue to haunt her in years to come.”

    The forum called on Chief Minister of Punjab Usman Buzdar, IGP Punjab Inam Ghani and DC Mudassir Riaz Malik “for their blatant neglect towards women’s safety in public spaces, and for failing to provide the adequate measures that should have been in place to prevent such a dreadful incident from occurring.”

    WAF is a non-partisan, non-hierarchical and non-funded women’s rights group.

  • Woman assaulted by hundreds of unidentified men at Minar-e-Pakistan

    Trigger warning: The following content contains allegations of sexual abuse and might be triggering for some readers

    A viral video shows a woman being sexually assaulted by a large group of men at Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore on 14 August, Pakistan’s independence day. The incident has been confirmed after a First Information Report (FIR) was registered.

    The FIR was registered under sections 354 A, 382, 147 and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code against hundreds of unidentified persons for assaulting and stealing from a female TikToker and at least five other people, Dawn has reported.

    The complainant stated: “I was stripped and my clothes were torn apart,” adding that she cried for help but no one came to her rescue. She also alleged that her gold ornaments, cash and mobile phone were also snatched by the mob.

    The complainant further stated that she along with six companions were attacked by 300 to 400 people while filming a video near the Minar. “The unidentified persons assaulted us violently.”

    “The suspects should be traced with the help of footage,” said Lahore DIG Operations Sajid Kiyani in a statement.

    Read more– ‘It was her fault, Poor 400 men’: Female stars and politicians express anger on the ‘Minar-e-Pakistan’ incident

    Those who “violated a woman’s honour and harassed them will be brought within the ambit of the law”, the statement added.

    The video had been making rounds on social media in which a group of men can be seen groping, assaulting and carrying the woman.

    https://twitter.com/OutOnAbudget/status/1427406677154975744

  • Abdul Razzaq faces backlash over sexist remarks about a female cricketer

    Former cricketer and all-rounder Abdul Razzaq recently appeared in a TV show hosted by Nauman Ijaz with Pakistan women’s cricket team’s Nida Dar, where he passed sexist comments about her.

    During the show, one of the members interrupted Dar while she was talking about her profession and said that women cricketers leave their profession and get married.

    Abdul Razzaq was quick to jump in, saying, “Oh, they don’t get married.”

    “Their field is as such. When they become cricketers, they strive to be as equal as their male counterparts, if not better than them. They want to prove that not only men, but they can also do it as well. The feeling [to get married] is gone [by the time they excel].”

    “Aap inko hath mila kay dekh lein, yeh larki to nahi lagtein,” said Razzaq. (If you shake her [Dar’s] hand, she is anything but feminine).

    https://twitter.com/emclub77/status/1415197775998951428

    People on social media are calling out Razzaq over his sexist comments.

    https://twitter.com/talkingcurves/status/1415549722450874372