The Punjab Gender Parity Report makes sad reading. It shows an increase in horrendous crimes against women that include kidnapping, harassment, domestic violence, honour killings, acid attacks and rape. The statistical picture presented underlines in most cases a rise in the crimes compared to last year. Alarmingly, the provincial capital also reported the highest number of sex crimes in 2020 with 614 cases out of a total 4,056 in the entire province. It is ironic that this is happening despite the religiosity displayed by the PTI’s top leadership and the party’s claims that Prime Minister Imran Khan is a “symbol of women empowerment.”
The report contradicts Chief Minister Usman Buzdar’s assurance that Mr Khan is determined to take women into the mainstream. According to the report the literacy rate of women remained consistent at 57 percent from 2017-18 to 2018-19, while that of men over the period increased one per cent from 72 percent to 73 percent. This shows that no credible move has been made in the direction of increasing literacy among women during the PTI’s tenure. Mr Buzdar’s claim of providing equal opportunities to women in practical life remains questionable with the prevailing differential in literacy rates.
The report indicates a big comedown for Punjab which is the land of Waris Shah who highlighted the plight of women forced to marry against their wishes in immortal poetry that is sung all over the province. It is also the land of mystics and Sufi poets who stressed spiritual values like peace, compassion, devotion and humility. Punjab has also produced world famous writers, poets, scientists and human rights activists .
The Punjab Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) is a statutory body created by the Punjab Assembly through the Punjab Commission on the Status of Women Act 2014. It is an oversight body to ensure that laws, policies and program0es of the Government of Punjab promote women’s empowerment, efforts are made for expansion of opportunities for the socio-economic development of women, and discrimination against women in all forms is eliminated.
There is a need on the part of political parties in general and the ruling party in particular to pay attention to the plight of women instead of cursing the movements for women’s rights.
