News Desk |
Punjab bar council was reprimanded for endorsing regressive statement about the women’s liberty in the diary of the council. An image circulating on social media shows a rather misogynistic statement inscribed on the page dated October in the diary of the Punjab Bar Council.
The image incited a strong reaction from the commentators on social media who demanded an immediate apology from the Punjab Bar Council.
This is a quote from the official diary of the Punjab Bar Council. The casual sexism and misogyny that female lawyers in Pakistan face is on display. All such quotes should be removed at once. pic.twitter.com/fwSzkrbXGE
— Hassan A. Niazi (@Hassan_A_Niazi) October 2, 2018
The Women’s Lawyers Association condemned the statement in a Facebook post. “A blatantly sexist page from the lawyers’ diary published by the Punjab Bar Council. Women Lawyers’ Association is outraged by this hostile discrimination again women endorsed by the Punjab Bar Council, a body that is supposed to regulate and preserve the integrity of the profession.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Commission on the Status of Women has approved the idea of utilizing the radio waves to reach the maximum women in the province.
We demand that the Punjab Bar Council issue an apology for spreading misogyny in a profession that is already unwelcoming for women to begin with.” The Executive Chairperson of the Punjab Bar Council Advocate Bushra Qamar called controversy “propaganda” to defame the council.
She stated “How can a body that upholds the dignity of women ever endorses such a statement?” said Qamar. “How can a body that appointed me its Chairperson espouse these values? It is impossible that we would print this. This is propaganda.”
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Qamar added “We would never intentionally print this. If this is true and if this was printed, we will take necessary action against those who allowed this to happen.”
There are several on-ground movements that are battling the misogynistic attitudes as reflected in the statement that hinders the progress of women and often chokes their voice for rights.
The program will be aired every Thursday on Radio Pakistan and FM101. Similarly, ace director Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy too is running a similar program called ‘Aagahi’ to teach women their legal rights.
To combat this, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has initiated a radio service that will educate the young girls and women on their basic rights. The radio service tends to discuss the physical, psychological and mental oppression women endure and how they can tackle it.
The service will also discuss the repressive traditions of honor killing, child marriage, and common gender discrimination. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Commission on the Status of Women has approved the idea of utilizing the radio waves to reach the maximum women in the province.
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In the official statement issued Chairperson of the commission Neelam Toru said “I know that these topics are sensitive and people are reluctant to talk about them, but if we keep shying away, then I am afraid that it will not be possible to craft solutions for issues that are holding women back from realizing their full potential,” she said.
The program will be aired every Thursday on Radio Pakistan and FM101. Similarly, ace director Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy too is running a similar program called ‘Aagahi’ to teach women their legal rights. The program also intends to enlighten women about the legal procedures to follow.