Aside from a prominent religious and political leader of Jamat-e-Islami telling women on live television that they should keep their mouths shut about their rape, conspiracies to keep rape a silent act is to protect patriarchy maintained by partners of power in the society
In a quagmire of things that leave us with little options but to accept adversities as a way of life, it doesn't mean that struggles and conscience must be given up all together to this as supposed fate. For those who value humans more than orthodox rigidity, the answer lies in the appreciation of the self to confront the demons created by the self and those imposed on us by the world.
Either way, submission to an onslaught or injustice means victory of the oppressors: of their status quo and of those who benefit directly in monetary terms through such endorsements. And indoctrination of such submission to a systematic aggression in an excuse of religion, culture or tribal justice system is criminal for those who do not fit in their gloves. Those differing in terms of beliefs, gender or sexual orientations are criticized, publicly humiliated, socially ostracized or even murdered. This is nothing but nakedly obvious, but hardly noticeable as it has been heavily entrenched and integrated as a "norm" of a society. Like a love struck wonder: you can't see the flaw in love unless you've become an outsider. It's like Stockholm syndrome.
What happened in India gained its due importance solely because people stopped remaining silent at this open brutality. They roared in angst on the streets, made their voices heard and felt across the globe. They were in rage, and any utterance by those blaming a helpless victim was shunned and condemned. They had meant it this time, and this time they could not let the tormentors of an innocent girl go unaccounted for their heinous crime against a woman who was not ensured protection that the state is to provide for all of its citizens.
Not because it exposed a grotesque law and order situation for women, but because it was more a question of conscience. When was the last time Pakistan saw a roaring crowd gathered against sexual violence against women who face equally gruesome fate here every day? Either such cases get silenced in Pakistan or, quite nauseatingly, the victim themselves become demonized for getting raped. How many times are we to hear spiteful oratory against Mukhtaran Mai: a woman who was gang-raped by the order of a Jirga here, and later dared to speak against her rape to bring her tormentors to justice? Does it mean she was the only rape victim here? No. But she did rise against those who violated her, instead of giving in to oppression that is considered more acceptable here than questioning the system that allows for violators to walk without admonition and with a stride of boastfulness; as if their 'manliness' has been re-asserted to a bowing world. It is also needless to say how the acquittal of Mukhtaran Mai’s rapists had been celebrated in Pakistan.
Mentioning rape in Pakistan is considered equivalent to sin, a taboo that needs to be hushed up. Aside from a prominent religious and political leader of Jamat-e-Islami telling women on live television that they should keep their mouths shut about their rape, conspiracies to keep rape a silent act is to protect patriarchy maintained by partners of power in the society. It is to continue exerting their blatant message of keeping the vulnerable in control; and to meet them with horrific consequences if they chose to disobey or detract from what they consider their social codes, in the harbinger of “cultural values”, that some politicians, even those who deem to portray themselves adherents of modern values protect vehemently the traditional misogynistic set-ups. Setups that ensure the vulnerable, especially women, are kept away from decision making roles. These are the same “liberals”, who opposed the bill on domestic violence against women in the parliament.
The inhibited values demeaning the position of women seems to trickle down in the literature that internalizes the attitudinal monster of the people, something from which, even the most liberal among the lot is not fully able to escape or avoid, nor is it ignorable anymore. It’s misplaced relativism of women experiences, including of those who have never felt any sexual violence, but have subtly felt it through mannerisms and general public discourse, double-coaxed by women sympathizers of misogynistic trends, like the present day “dars” (religious classes) imparted at homes by the righteous rich ladies for the rich ladies with Canadian and UAE passports. The impact becomes double-edged when we witness a complete handicap of a sense of justice: of equality and equitable rights on the whole. In a situation that has been produced to blame the victim and justify the acts of the perpetrators, even to the extent of romanticizing them, makes for a doomed nation: where the aggressor remains scot free and the afflicted remain at the mercy of their masters, sans confrontation.
Though it won’t be justified to say that there is no resistance to such forces in Pakistan, but their struggle and sacrifices remain under-acknowledged or un-praiseworthy in face of a highly powerful religious orthodoxy. Examples of such are numerous, shameful to mention to those who suffer with a hurt conscience. There are specific status quos that are arbitrarily protected by the state, to keep the crimes of the powerful unhindered: and in that, the feudal lords, the clergy and the army take a grandfather form of perpetuating crimes against women that have become a mainstream. A sheer expose of this can be witnessed in case of vulnerability of Hindu girls who get kidnapped, forcefully converted to Islam, and then married off. A little introspection has revealed how the local political leaders and their associates are engaged in human smuggling ring, where girls are sold off into prostitution by force.
Rinkle Kumari is the case that must not be forgotten too easily, and more recently, a minor girl who has also become victim of an unaccountable crime, Vijanti. There have been voices from the locals as well as their well-wishers from across urban Pakistan, but little has been said about it, or even if it has been raised at some level, it has been given little importance: Likewise, there are numerous examples of how the army itself has also been involved in rape and has remained unaccounted for the crimes it has committed. News had poured out in July 2005, how three soldiers of the army were accused by the villagers for rape of a minor girl in Azad Kashmir, but the villagers were coerced by the military to take their complaint back and the news could not surface much, despite the fact it got reported on the BBC.
If the mystery over why the voices of the relatives of the minor girl got hushed up raises suspicion and doubts over the validity of this incident, this still does not absolve the army of its engagement in 1971 war where countless women alleged the army of violating their honor. To this day, these women are still denied justice, because of a pact Bangladesh signed with Pakistan to keep its military out of international courts. These were the incidents that remain washed out from history of Pakistan’s bloody aggressions in the then East Pakistan. With the unaccountable status given to the powerful, the same transcends into all levels of the society, where the authoritative feed on the agony of the weak to satiate their lust for power.
In words of a friend, Ahmed Naseer: “Subcontinent is full of rape victims because culture promotes all forms of rape. The defiant laughter, the arrogant smile is the answer to this brutal culture. The rapists enjoy sobbing, wailing, crying and mourning. The victims and their supporters must come out and face these rapists bravely and show them that although they hurt but they are meaningless trash”.
| Zeeba Hashmi is a human rights, education and cultural enthusiast based in Lahore. She can be reached at
Source: Viewpoint
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