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Incidents of violence targetting women are not ‘isolated’ in Pakistan as many blindly argue but the last one month has been particularly distressing with multiple stories coming to the fore.
Reacting to one such story shared by journalist Sabin Agha on Twitter, Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari called for banning single men from public spaces.
“Another harrowing experience – witnessed by police who refused to help despite their ability to call for back up as well as use weapons to disperse crowd. Trusted to help and instead complicit,” she wrote.
“Men should be banned from public spaces. We need more women to safeguard women,” she added.
On Monday, she reiterated her demand and said she stands by banning men from public.
“Single men should not be allowed out without being escorted by sisters, mothers, wives or daughters – perhaps then they will think twice before assaulting women,” tweeted the daughter of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and former president Asif Ali Zardari. “With repeated and increasing incidents of assault, no better option.”
The calls for making Pakistan safe for women have been growing louder – and angrier – as the cases of violence keep coming to light.
Read: IG Punjab takes notice of second female harassment incident in Lahore on Independence Day
In the recent Aug 14 incident where a female TikToker was assaulted by hundreds of men at the Minar-i-Pakistan in Lahore, a number of arrests have been made, with the government vowing that more suspects will be taken into custody. One hopes the perpetrators are meted out the exemplary punishment they deserve and as a nation, we will do away with the ugly pattern of victim-blaming.
Until then, until the time the country’s people realise that Independence Day – and all other public holidays and public spaces – are as much for the women of Pakistan as for the men, strong measures will need to be put into place so that women don’t have to keep looking over their shoulder.