Karachi Chronicle: Unsuitable, unacceptable language in Sindh Assembly

The unsavoury episode began when NusratSeherAbbasi of Pakistan Muslim League-Functional put a question to PPP Minister for Works and Services, one ImdadPitafi, who responded with a sexually suggestive remark, inviting MsAbbasi to his chamber where he would give her 'a satisfactory reply'. This caused sniggers and open laughter from the male MPAs (not only of PPP). The minister, who at that time was quite enjoying the humiliation of the woman lawmaker, apologised to her and to the house last Monday, obviously under duress and orders of the PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
That he did not feel remorse, shame or sense of guilt for his cheap and nasty remark is apparent from what he said upon returning to his seat: 'After all I am also a human being and to err is human; whatever happened last Friday, I ask the entire house and NusratSeherAbbasi in particular, to forgive me.' Does he imagine to ridicule, humiliate and mock a woman is merely and error? Not so in the thinking of the civilised world but, unfortunately, that is what such behaviour is locally thought to be.
Such acts of ridicule of women is part and parcel of our male chauvinist social order. Males from all walks of life enjoy ridiculing women. No female is spared. I once heard of an admiral ridiculing Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah. He wondered why she was called 'Mader-i-Millat'. I have also heard some really brazen remarks about Benazir Bhutto. Although these were not done to their face, nevertheless, they got wide circulation among the gigglers and sniggers.
Women who figure in what is considered male domain, for instance as politicians, car drivers, bankers, business women etc can be, in fact will be, subjected to ridicule, either to their face or behind their back among fellow males. It always evokes laughter. If the humiliated woman protests, men think she is over reacting. In short, ridicule is condoned.
In other modern countries (except India where they are as chauvinistic as in our society) offensive remarks made by a legislator within the house would not be forgiven. If the culprit is a minister he would have to resign. That is not the case in our country. A similar incident to that which took place in Sindh Assembly, occurred last June in the National Assembly when Defence Minister KhwajaAsif made offensive remarks about Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf member, ShireenMazari. Neither KhwajaAsif nor ImdadPitafi was asked to resign by their respective party leader.
The PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and his sister Aseefa, while condemning the remark only asked Pitafi to tender an apology. Was that all for humiliating a woman? Though the PPP chief and his sister used strong words 'absolutely unacceptable' to criticisePitafi, they showed no concern for the insulted and humiliated MPA.
This shameless and impudent attitude of males will not change because women do not show strong support for an insulted sister. Not even women who ran the NGOs like Womens Action Forum (WAF) (with the exception of MPA Nafisa Shah who was an able activist) who claimed to be defenders of women's rights spoke up for NusratSeherAbbasi. When you remain silent about a wrong you tacitly condone it.
Women activists have been loud in condemning such acts like karo-kari or honour killing, and harassment of women in workplaces, but, in my opinion, their protests are mere tokens which do not bring about substantive change in our social order even if there is legislation against the demeaning or victimising of women. This is because women have virtually accepted they are of secondary importance to men, even to their little brother.
Of course, the attitude of secondary importance to males has been inculcated in women since their birth, which is not as joyful an event as the birth of a son. If rural society still languished in such outmoded cultural attitudethey at least can be excused because they are poor and downtrodden and slaves to partriarchal values. But women in urban society, especially in this city, where educated, enlightened and empowered women are in majority to the backward females in our midst, do not get angry and condemn ridiculing of women, any woman, they cannot be forgiven. They are not helpless, they have a voice.
English newspapers, journals and TV channels erroneously described the ridiculing of MsAbbasi to be an act of misogyny, which means hatred of women. This was an act ridicule, a hurtful personal attack as a heartless joke.