Respected chief minister (CM),
I am a Pakistani woman and a working mother wth a three-month-old daughter. We have never met or spoken to each other. Nor crossed paths. Of-course, I have heard you on my screen many times, when you address the people after visiting a gathering or inaugurating new projects. And, I must say that I have always found you a gentleman who is humble and seems to focus more on his work than publicity; who is an introvert but doesn’t let it be an impediment to his performance.
I understand the past few weeks must have been a challenging time for you as much as it was for the public due to the unfortunate incident on the Lahore-Sialkot motorway. Let me offer my sincere compassion and support for all those in your government who are working with you trying to make this country a Riyasat-e-Madina.
Good things take time, they say. I was assured that we will be able to live safely and securely, with you as the chief minister but this heinous and barbarous crime committed against one of my fellow sisters on the motorway has shocked the entire nation. It has triggered countrywide outrage and unrest with people demanding the head of the rapists. My earlier observation about the safety and security of women stands questioned.
Last time, it was the attack on Zainab in Kasur that had made me feel unsafe. It took me quite a long to be at peace with myself and my peace is once more threatened. It has started to seem like we, the women, are not safe anywhere and it is a very terrifying feeling sir.
Can you imagine the lack of trust, humiliation, misery, helplessness, and insecurity we feel for being a woman in this country? And your CCPO shifts the blame on the victim and reminds us that this is not France. Alas, this is Pakistan.
I understand such heinous crimes like rape or sexual harassment happen everywhere in the world, unfortunately. But the sort of victim-blaming we see in Pakistan, truly distinguishes us from any other country, as the CCPO rightly mentioned.
No woman wants or deserves to live under constant fear. We don’t deserve to pick and choose between our basic liberty to live or to get raped. When I look at my daughter, I feel like a failure for raising her in a country where being a female is looked at with petty, tinged with disgust. It feels like no place is safe for my daughter and even me, her mother. I feel like it’s time to choose my future over this country, something I have never done in the past, despite having the options.
Today as a Pakistani woman, I don’t want lofty promises to be made to me. I don't want to hear them. I just want my basic right as a citizen of this country to live with my head held high and not sit scared in some corner, apprehensive and fearful that if I go out, I will be attacked in front of my children! Why? Only because I am a woman and because my existence and survival depends on how many men I can have with me when I walk?
Respected CM sir! It’s for you to understand that it’s not just one rape survivor. Today, every female, every daughter of this province feels like a victim. Please step out and see how the victims are managing to carry on. We are sitting devastated feeling miserable, abandoned and like we are lesser beings. We also feel like we can be attacked by anyone, anywhere at any given time.
Can you restore our shattered confidence and sense of peace again?
from News Updates From Pakistan - Pakistani News - The Express Tribune https://ift.tt/3mZJfF5
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