From Photo Sessions to Reality

Naeem,

I liked this write-up. It’s a well-put together analysis. Some of your points are in line with my way of thinking.

In my opinion, Mukhtaran Mai should have met with the Law and Order Chief to share her concerns. Why is she even bothering to meet with the Prime Minister? Shouldn`t the nincompoop heading the Law and Order Department be reprimanded for ineffective policies and procedures? By meeting with the Prime Minister and ignoring the person who needs to be responsible for putting this case to rest, Mukhtaran Mai is proving a very crucial point - the legal entities are inefficient. In that case, she has to reach out to the President and Prime Minister. What consolation can the PM provide to her? Is he going to put the perpetrators in jail? Is he going to pass any legislation for the protection of women? What has the President done for her? Musharraf had no issues in meddling with the Pakistani Constitution - that was acceptable since he showed immense concern for the Pakistani People and had a vision for the future of Pakistan. Based on his recent actions, I am even doubtful of his fauji-ness. He is a coward! In order to show his true fauji mettle, he needs to meddle with the Hudood Ordinance. Is that doable? Can that happen? Would he even go there? Has the PM or President set any example for the future rape victims? This is just one case. How about 100s and 1000s of other cases? Can all the victims come to the PM`s office and have the guts like Mukhtaran Mai? So, anyone with the guts like her may be able to survive and fight, but those who lack basic guts will have nowhere to go. What is this? Double standards? Fair or Foul?

I do not want to disregard an important element here. It deals with the masses and their approach toward Mukhtaran Mai. From the very little I have read about Mukhtaran Mai, she has been very well accepted by all and sundry and has received a lot of encouragement for her bravery. This is a commendable mindset. All the more reason, it reflects that there are people in Pakistan who do not look down upon rape victims and believe that the victim was the innocent in the picture. In this case, Mukhtaran Mai was not put in jail under the Hudood Ordinance – HO (An ordinance to protect violent and horny men); therefore she was able to cope with the battle. There may be several others who entertained the same spirit and passion for living a just life but were thrown behind the bars under the HO ~ OSHVM (Ordinance for serving horny and violent men). The unfairness can be quite demoralizing.

I liked your drift on a few suggestions you have made to address the issues and provide empathy toward the victim. I think the way Pakistan secured Shaukat Aziz from City Bank to stabilize its economical concerns; similarly, a serious effort needs to be made to find the right candidate to ``handle`` the social matters of the Pakistani Society. That department should be named as “Social Issues Resolution Department”.

The best candidate will be a seasoned and visionary Pakistani in the UN. Often times, those who live in that system are not able to evaluate the gravity of several in-progress and outstanding social issues. As a result there is no resolution. The locals start taking things for granted or give up. In that scenario, you do need someone who brings a broader perspective with experience and commitment in resolving the hanging social issues in the 3rd world countries. Every issue has to have a resolution. If you allow social issues to linger then they never get to see the light of resolution. It can be very frustrating for the people involved in the picture and those who read the news. What`s the outcome of Mukhtaran Mai`s issue? The masses need to read about the outcome and not necessarily the step-by-step details of what she went through and whom she met.

On the contrary, bringing someone from outside has some constraints as well. What if the person is not well accepted by the masses? It can also create some insecurity among the locals for not being considered for a role to handle their internal matters. I do not think these concerns matter that much......

Personally, I will lean toward the 1st recommendation. Once a structure is in place with right leadership then you can definitely add several steps under the umbrella of a committed ``Social Issues Resolution Department``. You have addressed quite a few of those steps in your article. The locals will be the ones to assist in putting a well organized infrastructure in place.

I think one such department (with a different purpose) was established in Lahore to hear the concerns of the masses during Nawaz Sharif’s times. It was an open court like scenario – something similar to a punchaiyat. Going back to my early teens, I only recollect that it was not a well-organized way of dealing with people and went out of control. All the more reason you need to have an organized and disciplined approach in handling these matters.