It saddens me to say that women are not safe in Pakistan. It is difficult for women to walk outside, due to the growing prevalence of harassment and sexual violence. As a result, many women are unable to access public spaces and their movements are constantly restricted and monitored by their families. Unfortunately, many have accepted this de-facto gender discrimination as ‘just the way things are’ and when a women faces abuse or harassment she faces more questions than the culprits.
We cannot tolerate this sorry state of affairs any longer. Women should be able to navigate their towns, cities and villages with the same freedom that their brothers, husbands and fathers do. The government and the society owe it to women to treat them with the same respect and consideration as men.
Maryam Abdul Khaliq
Karachi