Some weeks ago, a group of clerics forced a teacher in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to not teach Darwin’s theory of evolution and to acknowledge that women are inferior to men. This forced declaration reminds me of the dark ages of Europe, where a Roman church ordered the arrest of Galileo Galilei upon his discovery of the heliocentric model, which states that the earth is not static rather it revolves around the sun. Similarly, women were not allowed to hold public offices or become lawyers and parliamentarians.
Fortunately, due to the separation of church from state affairs, independent research work was conducted, which led to the advancement of science and technology. Pakistan should not repeat past mistakes. It is the second-worst country in terms of gender equality and it must fasten its belts to empower women in every sector. It is on the government to empower women to bridge the gender gap and inequality.
Kifayat Ali
Gilgit