Women in Karak barred from leaving home without 'mehram'
http://beta.dawn.com/news/1030354/women-in-karak-barred-from-leaving-home-without-mehram
The clerics committee also requested local shopkeepers not
to sell goods to women who are shopping alone in bazaars.
PESHAWAR:
A committee of local clerics (ulema) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Karak district
banned the entry in markets of women who are not accompanied by a 'mehram'
(close male family member).
The local clerics committee of Khattak Ittehad held a
meeting at the Tehsil Masjid Karak, headed by former district amir of
Jamiat-i-Ulema Islam Hafiz Abne Amin on Friday decided that women roaming in
the city bazaars (markets) without male members of their family were a source
of spreading vulgarity in the society and should be stopped.
The meeting which was also attended by Mualana Mir Zaqeem,
Mualana Abdul Rehman and other clerics.
The clerics also met the local administration and the police
to implement the decision but they had refused to facilitate the implementation
of this decision.
When contacted, Mir Zaqeem who is the head of Khattak
Ittehad, Karak city said that the decision was taken because most unaccompanied
women were becoming a source of spreading vulgarity, especially in the holy
month of Ramazan.
He added that a group of such women (without a mehram) were
also involved in theft and robberies.
The Maulana further said that unaccompanied women in bazaars
was not only against local Pakhtun culture but also against religious norms.
He added that those women who were accompanied by a mehram
would not be stopped from coming to bazaars.
The clerics committee also requested local shopkeepers not
to sell goods to women who are shopping alone in bazaars.
Reaction of civil society
Resident Director of Aurat Foundation Shabina Ayaz said that
the decision of the ulema was a violation of fundamental human rights and was a
denial of a woman's right to live on her own will.
She added that the state must act swiftly to ensure women
rights.
She further said a few individuals should not have the
authority to decide for 48 per cent womenfolk who had equal rights as any male
member of the society in Pakistan.
Qamar Nasim the programme coordinator of a civil society
organisation has termed the ban a gross violation of the women rights and
demanded that authorities take action against the culprits invloved.
Nasim said a similar step was taken last year before Eid as
well but due to pressure from the civil society the administration had the
decision reversed.
The chief executive of Paiman Trust, Mussarat Qadeem is of
the view that this order is morally, ethically and humanly an act of gross
women right violation and an injustice with women.
If the jirgas and the local committees are so concerned
about the women, they should come to their help and provide the daily needs to
the destitute women at their doorsteps.