This thread is beneficial for those who are preparing expansion and Essay papers.

This is a Chinese proverb meaning better to do something about the problem than just complaining about it. As candle changes the shape of darkness into light; similarly one should solve problem instead escaping away from them. Darkness is the symbol of illiteracy, evils, ignorance and unethical things; so instead of bearing them one must face them in order to eliminate them .It is not necessary to eliminate these problems completely in first try but gradually. In our society people daily curse the problems of load shedding, illiteracy, injustice, energy crisis, political and economic crisis, employment issues, poverty etc. The treatment of these economic, social and political diseases is not to just abusing them but is to seek solutions and alternatives. There are numerous examples in the world of the nations which prospered only when they tried to find the solutions and alternatives .the European and other development country became successful and developed when they resolved their economic, social, political ,educational and poverty problems. Before the advent of holy Prophet people of Arabs were used to bury their little and innocent daughters alive after their birth due to their many wrong beliefs. Holy prophet’s arrival crushed this wall of darkness by spreading the light of importance to women. In this regard he faced lot of resistance and troubles, but he did not move away from his path and continued it. Quid-e-Azam Muhammad ali jinnah faced many problem issued by Hindus and British but he did not admit defeat and his continuously efforts bore the fruit in term of achievement of Pakistan. Hence facing and trying to resolve problems rather than complaining about them is the removal of darkness.

please inform me if anyone find any grammatical or other mistake

The purpose of imparting education is itself a noble cause but the education without social values is partial. Education is not of such fact that it provides useful information, facts and figures, but the main motive of education is the moral and social development.
Education should be not aimed that it is the source of useful information, source of fame and money, way of the businesses strategies and dealings, way of achieving desire job, competing for facilities and way of understanding this world around us ;but it is the way of helping poor and needy , enhancing moral values, respecting elders ,loving children and other people, character building, doing the duties in responsible way ,obligations of laws of society and country , elimination of social diseases such as corruption and injustice, respecting the women .So in colleges ,schools ,universities and other source of imparting education should have aimed of social and moral development besides the propagation of knowledge. But in our country this aim is not fulfilling because the sources of education are materialistic, they propagate education for their benefits; Government is not initializing a proper budget for the education due to this moral degradation is raising and we facing political and socially unrest and disturbance: target killing suicide attacks, protests and demonstrations. Our religion Islam encourage social and moral development, character building, supports needy and poor, respecting the elder and discourage the social diseases , by supporting education of values. So this purpose can be achieved if we shape the education in term of values besides the facts.

This statement depicts the idea that paying attention to today and making it valuable, useful and worthy is very essential because worry about today means one is take caring of one’s future. One must take care of his today because today always bears fruits in future. Real time of actions is present neither past nor the future. So one should use one’s mind and energy in the present time, in a result future will be shaped automatically and past become wonderful. Some people have convictions that they will do their desire works in future now a lot of time is in hands for doing tasks. In this way they waste their time and can not achieve their desire goals. You have observed such type of example in your daily life e.g. Mostly students start preparations for the exams in the last days.
One can make today valuable by protecting oneself from evil and negative things, and wasting of time, hardworking, joining the group of smart people and working in competitive environment. My mother always said to me that, stay away from the negative people, because negative people will make you negative and promote towards evil things and waste your time. My father advised me always make company and group with people smarter than you and work in competitive environment if you want to achieve your desire goals. Smarter will provide you useful information and knowledge, and guidance to succeed in your life. Competitive environment stress you to achieve you goals.
Consequently one should take care of current life and should make beautiful and made all possible efforts to make it wrathfulness if one wants to see bright future.

This statement elaborates the notion that the reasons behind every successful life of a person always have tough time and troubles that he/she faces in past life. A hero who is considered a successful person always have risks, failures, troubles, oppositions ,toughness ,hardworking, distressing and despair activities, and those things which involves him to ruin and harming. Hero does not accept to be defeated. He competes with all challenges of life. Due to his this tendency he is called hero. In daily life we have observed my examples regarding the hero in films: where he fight for social justice, against corrupt people, for human rights, to eliminate the social diseases and evils, against his country Enemies: for this he faces risks, failures and even he dies during this. Our country’s real hero is Quid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali, Allama Iqbal, Sir Syed, Liaquat Ali khan who made every possible efforts for our guidance , social and economic development, education and to promote and protect our civilization, culture, traditions ,customs and norms . For this they made day and night struggles, faced many troubles, risks, oppositions, harming and distressing activities; they did not accept defeat and continued their efforts. Also the best example for us is our Holy Prophet Life. Our holy prophet for the preaching and propagation of Islam faced many troubles; Children of Taeif had thrown the stones on the holy prophet due to this attack the blood started flow and reached at the foots of holy prophet. Many Sahabah of holy prophet were attacked and killed and disturbed in their daily life due to acceptance of Islam; and due to this they migrated from makkah to madina.
As consequently it is clear that those people had earned name that faced hurdles, resistances, dares and risks; because this tendency made them heroes.

while writing expansions there should be no grammatical mistakes,spelling mistakes.Ideas should be connected to each other.

I found so many ideas and examples in one single sentences , which caused confusion.

I was trying to re-edit it, but time expired. Otherwise the material was full of grammatical mistakes and i didnot get at all.

Thanks saqib bangash for helping and deriving grammatical mistakes.
please inform me if you find other mistakes in other expansions.

Women rights in Islam

Outline
Introduction
Background
Equal rights of men and women in Islam
Social rights
.right to get education
.right to accept or reject marriage proposal
.right to get divers
.right to secrecy
.right to just treatment in case of polygamy
.right to entertain and dine out
.right to demand separate house
.right to deny doing all the chores of home
.right to dress
Economic rights
.right to Inheritance
.right to ownership
.right to dowry
.right to maintenance (Iddah, child upbringing)
.right to seek employment
.right to do business
Legal and political rights
.right to be equal before law
.right to witness
.right to vote
.right to work on legal and political positions
Conclusion













Introduction:

Holy prophet (S.A.W) said,
“Among you the most respectable is the one who respects women and the most disrespectable is the one who disrespect the women.”

The above instruction of holy prophet (S.A.W) declared the ground of honor and respect for a person in Deen-e-Islam .Islam gave women an honorable life and ignite the light of rights in her life. Before Islam women were extremely deteriorated by the society. Arabs used to bury their daughters alive, wives were harshly beaten, step mother became legacy of eldest son and the sisters were given as a compensation for any sin of her family. Islam abolished all these dark practices and made the paradise under the feet of mother, guaranteed paradise to a father who brought up her daughters with love, assured paradise to the husband who care her wife and made sisters partners in the inheritance. Today Muslim woman is facing problems not because of lack of her rights in Islam but due to the male driven and illiterate society. Islam promised women respect, honor and safety before and more than any other religion, civilization and moderation. Islam gave women all rights to women before 15 centuries which any one can expect in today’s highly modern world.

The sad pages of history only present crying voices and tears of women that break the heart the reader. All the big civilization of their time including Hubsha, Byzantine, Room, Greece, Egypt, China, Hindustan and Arabian Penusiuala ruined the women under the feet of brutality. Those who are claiming themselves the leaders and providers of women rights in today’s world were in fact the real usurper of women rights from centuries. Women In these civilizations struggled so hard and fight for her rights centuries and centuries even than their male dominant leadership never gave them rights until they need them. After the two world wars when men strength became insufficient in forces and in the other fields of life then they brought women out of house and used her for their different purposes on the name of women rights. Let’s have a look on the dates of rights givers as a prove US in 1920,British in 1918,France in 1944,Norway in 1907,Sweden in 1921,Belgium in 1919,Japan in 1945,Netherland in 1919 and so on. Whereas Islam gave all social, economical, political and legal rights to the women long before fifteen (15) centuries.

Equal rights of men and women in Islam:
Everyone knows Islam claim that it is a complete code of life. Therefore Islam is not only complete code of life for men it is also complete code of life for women. It gives equal rights to men and women. It is very important for everyone that there is big difference of meaning between the words “equal” and “same”. As women and man cannot same physically so there rights can also not same due to their duties but they have equal rights on or the other way. This equal terminology can also be explain by taking a very simple example. There are two students in class one called Saeed scored 4 in economics,3 in political studies and 3 in social studies and another called Sadia scored 2 in economics, 4 in political studies and 4 in social studies. Saeed got (4+3+3)=10 and Sadia got (2+4+4)=10,that shows both Saeed and Sadia scored equal marks that is total 10 but they score different marks in different areas. It illustrates the real meanings of equal and its similar to the meaning of equal rights of men and women in Islam. If father has more rights and responsibilities economically than women then mother has more rights and responsibilities that balance their rights in all circumstances.

For further classifications of women rights in Islam, let’s discuss them under different heads such as social, economic, legal and political.


Right to get education:
Starting from the social, holy prophet (S A W) said
“Education is mandatory for men and women.”
The above hadith does not discriminating gender that means it is not only mandatory for men but also for women. Therefore no body restricts her from getting education. Its her right to get same education as her brother gets.
Holy prophet (S A W) said
“You have to get education even its available in China.”
Again there is no discrimination of gender in above hadith. If a boy can get education by traveling long distance then girl can also. She has right to go to school and mosque. If women had right to go to mosque for getting education and offer prayers during the period of holy prophet (S A W) and Caliphate than why not she has this right in today’s modern world. Hazat Ayasha(R.A) was the teacher of 8000 companions and she was expert of history, medicine, hadith, literature and law.

.Right to accept or reject marriage proposal:
Once a lady came to Holy prophet (S A W) and said that she was forcefully married
by her father and she is not happy with her husband, the Holy prophet (S A W)
dissolved her marriage then and there and emphasizes for marrying couples by their consent.

Above hadith validating the consent of females before marriage and made it compulsory for all Muslim parents. She can also demand to see the person before her marriage and she can also talk to him in the presence of her legal blood relative.

.Right to entertain and dine out:
Once hazrat Aysha (R.A) showed desire to see the ongoing circus in the street. Holy prophet (S A W) happily replied to her that she can hide herself at the back of holy prophet (S.A.W) and then watch the circus. Aysha(R.A) did this and enjoyed the circus as long as she can stand there when became tired she went back to home. The Holy prophets (S A W) stand there more than an hour for her entertainment.

This hadith is highlighting very kind treatment of Holy prophet (S A W) to his wife. It also emphasizes the right of entertainment to women. Some people having wrong perception that Islam binds women in the walls of house and she has no right to come out for any purpose. In fact this is opposite of Islamic teachings. It is also her right that she should be treated with love by her husband.

Al-Quran
“You and your wives are dresses of each other.”
Therefore it is women right that she should be entertained by her husband.
Once Holy prophet (S A W) said to one of his companion
“Why not you get marry so that you can play with your wife and she can play with you.”

It is making clear that it’s not matter of disrespect or against the sobriety of men or matter of hummer if he entertains his wife.

Dinning out or going out for outing with wife is also encouraged in Islam. It is also women right that she should be taken out by her husband for outing or for dinning.

Once an Iranian companion of Holy prophet (S A W) who was a very good cook cooked some food and came to Holy prophet (S A W) house for inviting him. Holy prophet (S A W) asked “can Aysha (R.A) also come with me.” Because of any reason companion replied” no she can’t.” Holy prophet (S A W) also replied “then I also cannot”. Companion invited Holy prophet (S A W) three times and got same answer from the Holy prophet (S A W) .At last companion said “yes she can also come with you” then Holy prophet (S A W) accepted invitation and brought her for dinner along him. Therefore bringing wife to dine out is not only encouraged but also SUNNA of Holy prophet (S A W).

.Right to demand separate house:
In addition, to demand separate house for living is also right of wife from his husband. If she does not like to live with the family of her husband then she has complete right to live with her husband in a separate place. Many cruel of our male driven society are considering this right against their ego. So often instead of fulfilling this true right of wife they give divorce or beat their wives for forcefully living with their family like a servant which is completely against Islamic teachings.

.Right to deny doing all the chores of home:
Furthermore, Islam is not binding women to cook food to do crockery or to wash clothes of her husband. If she refuses to do all this then its not making her guilty in the eyes of almighty ALLAH. But yes, she might be very guilty in the eyes of her husband who brings her for doing all these services for him. Many of Muslim women love to do all these services for their husbands, so their husbands must be thankful for their wives.

.Right to consultation and secrecy:
Subsequently, human being is used to make mistakes. So if there is any conflict arises between husband and wife then husband needs to resolve it first only by consulting her wife. In case matter could not solved by both of them then they need to bring any other family member for consultation. Secrecy is also immensely important for the marital relation of couple. It is duty of husband to keep all secrets of bed relation with her wife.


Holy prophet (S A W) said,
“The person who shared his wife bed relations with anybody, he is the worst man and he cannot get even the smell of paradise.”

.Right to get divorce and Khulla:
Similarly, when conflict between husband and wife became bone of contentions and seems unsolvable. In this case if wife no more wants to live with her husband then she has right to get divorce. In case husband is not willing to give divorce she can consult court for getting diverse.

.Right to just treatment in case of polygamy:
Further, in case of polygamy Islam teaches full justice, equal and fair treatment to all waives. Practically this is very hard for a men to keep completely fair balance between all wives therefore it is highly recommended if he is not strong enough financially, physically and morally then he should not gets married even with a single woman. If anyone has more than on wife and he could not maintained just and fair treatment among all wives then he is severely treated by almighty Allah at the Day of Judgment.

.Right to cloth:
Adding to it, growing age of fashion makes many minds ultra modern. Now husband wants to look his wife as a model and he forced her to wear dresses according to fashion. In this case Muslim women has right to wear all these dresses which are according to Islamic dress code while going out of house. If her husband forced her to do so she can refuse to her husband to wear any vulgar dress which is against the teachings of Islam.

.Economic rights
Allah almighty knows all strength and weaknesses of his creatures. He made women physically very sensitive and weak than man. Therefore he shifted all the financial burden of women on men’s shoulder. When she is daughter she is duty of her father. If father died she becomes duty of her brother. When she is wife she is duty of her husband and when she is mother she is duty of her son. In this way she can live her life very comfortably and can take care of house easily. God assigned all the financial requirements of women as a duty of men but even then he does not make women empty hand in economical rights.

.Right to Inheritance:
Before Islam there was no concept of inheritance for women. Islam gave right to women in the inheritance. Women have half of the part as men have in parent’s properties. This does not mean she has half right than man. But as it is mentioned above she does not have any financial responsibility to fulfill as the men have. Therefore she can save or invest her part of the property for her future and making profit. It is also very clear in Islam that her husband can demand a single penny from her wife and she not bound to give anything to anybody.

.Right to ownership:
In addition to she can buy property on her own name as a legal person. She can possess property without anybody’s interference. She has complete right on her property as she can sale it, rent out it and can give it to anyone as a gift.




.Right to dowry:
Furthermore, wife has right to get dowry from her husband before establishing matrimonial relations. Husband is bound to give her wife dowry at the time of marriage.

When Allah almighty created Eve (R.A) for Adam (R.A) .
Adam (R.A) was attracted towards Eve (R.A) and wanted to touch her.
At that time Allah almighty said to Adam (R.A) that
He should not touch her without paying her dowry.

One more thing needs attention here that Islam did not fix any maximum limit of dowry. Husband can give whatever maximum he can give to his wife.

In region of Hazrat Ummer(R.A) he forward a bill in the parliament for fixing the maximum limit of dowry. That bill was challenged by a female parliamentarian and she said nobody can fix the maximum limit of dowry if Allah himself did fix it. Hazrat ummer(R.A) asked her that why it couldn’t be fixed.
She quoted the holy Quran
“If husband gave her wife bundles and bundles of wealth as dowry even then he cannot demand anything after diverse.”
Hazrat ummer (R.A) said that she is right and today men made a mistake and women corrected him.

.Right to maintenance (Iddah, child upbringing)
Subsequently, maintenance is also on the shoulder of men at her stages of life. Father, brother, husband and son has to give her food clothes and other needs of life respectively.

Holy prophet (S A W) said,
“Anyone who brought her daughters with full care and then marry
them. He is as close to me as my two fingers.”

Maintenance of x-wife is also husband responsibility during the period of Iddah. Some of Islamic scholars agreed that husband has to fulfill his x-wife’s maintenance until her second marriage. In case if any childe from her x-husband then it is also responsibility of child’s father.

.Right to seek employment and business:
Moreover, she has right to seek employment. If she wants to do a job and if society needs her then Islam give her full right to seek employment. But if she doesn’t want to do the job then nobody can force her to seek employment. Similarly she has the right to do business and to trade things in order to earn finance.
Hazrat Khadija(R.A), Wife of Holy prophet (S A W) said, was the famous business lady at that time.

Legal and political rights


Apart from social and economic securities in Islam, women have also legal and political securities.

.Right to be equal before law and witness:
In the eyes of law she is as legal person as a man. she can be witness but her witness is half of man. It is not because she has half right as an human but due to her sensitive and shy nature. In fact God made her half responsible than man in all legal witnesses.

.right to vote:
Similarly she has right to vote from first election of Islam.
After the election result of hazrat usman (R.A). Hazrat usman (R.A) and hazrat Ali (R.A) got equal votes. Therefore Hazrat abdur Rahman bin Auf was appointed as a chief polling agent and assigned the task to get votes of men and women. He did this work three days and ultimately hazrat usman (R.A) elected.

Above event proved that women were having the right to vote from the beginning of Islam.

.right to work on legal and political positions
Adding to it, women used to work at different legal positions from the start of Islam. During the period of Holy prophet (S A W) women worked in different sectors such as in wars and in hospital.

Hazrat Ummer (R.A) appointed hazrat Shifa(R.A)as an administrator and account officer for the market.

Hazrat Usman(R.A) made hazrat umm-e-kulsoom an ambassador and sent her to Room.

.right to be consulted :
Women has right to be consulted as other family members have right to be consulted. Many people believe that it is folly to act or listen women advise in fact they themselves are disbelievers and unaware to the sunna of Holy prophet (S A W).


At the event of Hudabiya Holy prophet (S A W) have consulted hazrat umm-e-Salma and acted on her advice to move on.

Conclusion
By summing up the whole discussing it can be said that Islam is the first sun that embrace women with light of all social, economical, legal and political rights before 15 centuries. It is very unjust if anybody is blaming Islam for the present state of suppresses women. In fact it is not Islam to be blamed it is because of forgetting the teachings of Islam.


In khutaba hijtul Weda, the Holy prophet (S A W) said,
“O, people fear from Allah in the matter of women, treats them carefully and fairly as Islam teaches you.”

Plaese everyone evaluate my essay and suggest me changes
Essay empowerment of women in Pakistan
Outline
1-introduction
2- Pakistan and women empowerment
3- Women in developed countries
4- Causes of women backwardness of women’s state in Pakistan
a) Lack of Access to Resources
b) Poverty
c) Illiteracy
d) Wrong interpretation of Islamic teaching
e) Unemployment
f) Deplorable Health Level
g) Patriarchal society
I- male-dominance and feudal system
II- horrific customs- Swara and Vani
h) Dowry system
i) Honor killing
j) Acid throwing
k) Sexual harassment
l) Discriminatory laws
m) Narrow-Minded Religious Approaches.
5- Bills and Act Passed so far by various Governments in Pakistan
a) Protection against harassment of women at workplaces Act 2010.
b) Prevention of domestic violence Act 2008.
c) women protection bill 2006
6- Suggestion of women empowerment
a- economically
b- sociologically
c- legally
7- Conclusion
It is beyond any doubt that women are an integral part of society and play significant role in the development of a country. History bears the testimony to the greatness of women being a prominent member of society. In the current scenario women have stood shoulder to shoulder with men, but unfortunately their efforts have not been recognized by the society. In the name of customs, rituals and practices they are being deprived of their legitimate and fundamental securities. Consequently women are found in worse state. Beside this, various governments in Pakistan have passed different Bills and Acts to empower and strengthen the women, and tried to implement them, but they could not practically enforce them. The need of the hour is to give essential securities to women which have been ordained by Islam and to empower them in social, political and economic spheres. Therefore Pakistan desperately needs mass movement which can pull it out from the quagmire of the social and economic crisis.
The Pakistan was formed on the basis of two nation theory and Islamic Ideology due to which it is called “Islamic republic of Pakistan.” ,but it could not provide due protections to its most populated community of women. Although the constitutions of Pakistan under the Article 25(1), 25(2), 27 and 35 explain the status of women, yet the state has never been seen to be serious in the provision of basic securities of women. In addition to it, Pakistani society on one side considers women as the center of attention and life, but on the other side regard them not more than a secondary citizen. For the years the role that women played as citizen, as a family member and for maintenance of home, has been highly undermined today, and it has turned into tradition to degrade their abilities and competencies. The ill-educated scholars and pseudo-fundamentalists have converted the teaching of Islam to be best read for the interest of women and spaced the gender discrimination. Despite this Pakistani women have proven themselves in very fields.
The lives of Pakistani women have been changed during the past thirty years and they are more powered and emancipated than that they were ever before. They are taking interest in doing jobs and participating at the workplaces and legal places. But they have not been empowered than the women in developed countries are.
With the passage of time and economical growth women have attained high liberty in the developed countries. Therein they enjoy the equal rights. Women have acquired such status because of the high literacy rate, better infrastructure, enlightenment and sincerity of the ruling class.
Pakistan cannot meet the global standards of women’s rights unless it comes up with solutions of the major factors responsible for the backwardness of women’s state. Let’s see the major causes responsible for the abysmal state of women in Pakistan.
In Pakistan women are lacking in access to the resources which are vital to lead a good and balanced life. Such as education, inheritance, justice, healthcare, nutrition, financial and social supports etc. it is world-wide acknowledged that poverty and low status is awarded to women.
Pakistan inherited the curse of poverty from its inception and yet facing it. This problem restricted the women to acquire their basic needs and necessities of life. As everything demands money. Therefore due to insufficient money their families cannot fulfill their basic demands of foods, education and health and they are hardly to meet their nutrition needs.
Besides this, illiteracy is another factor of the disastrous situation of women. Women are less educated than the men in Pakistan. They literacy rate of women is 36 per cent as compared to the literacy rate of men which is 64 per cent. Girls and boys schools ration is 4 and 6 respectively. The women of rural are more illiterate and unaware than the women of urban. Education facilities are less available in rural areas than the urban areas. Due to this society has snatched their securities.
Also religiously some of the people are of the views that Islam does not permit the women or girls to step beyond the walls of the house. The modern education will make them irreligious and party girls instead of making them a house and pious wives. That is why the Taliban is blasting in the schools of the Swat and northern areas of Pakistan. Ironically Islam entitles them to acquire education. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) said,
“Education is mandatory on Muslim men and women”.
Moreover in Pakistani society women are denied from doing jobs to earn their livehood. Due to social and cultural constraints and gender bias women are lacking in opportunities. In the labor market there are no supporting facilities such as transport, accommodation, safety and encouragement for the women. Consequently labor market provides more opportunities to men than the women. In some of the family do not permit their daughters, sisters and wife to work in such unsafe environment.
Women health indicators of Pakistan are among the worst in the world. Pakistan is among the countries where expectancy of women’s life is lower than that of the men. The female- infant mortality is lower (85 per 1000 live births) than the male-infant mortality (82 per 1000 live births). More than 40 percent women of the total women are anemic. Maternal mortality is still high, 4 women in every 38 women die due to pregnancy related causes. The lower women’s health status is the result of lower social, cultural status. Improper food distribution leads to the deficiencies in the female children; early marriages of girls, excessive childbearing and illiteracy have affected the women’s health.
In the patriarchal society of Pakistan men’s physical strength and false sense of superiority as against the women’s weakness make them vulnerable to oppression. In this society man has enforced the law of the jungle where the stronger is the ruler and weaker is the lead live at the mercy of the strong. In these societies women are mere the symbols of honor and dignity of a family. They are considered private property of men. Feudal society has confined the women in the walls of the house to save “their honor and dignity.” They have made their own laws in the name of tradition and customs. These laws and customs underestimate the women and abolish their legal and legitimate and religious securities and protection. Under these customs women have not right to marry with their choices, to acquire education and they are under control of men, and they tolerate oppressive norms in the name of morality.
Swara and Vani are such type of heinous customs which are upheld by the stone- minded person. In both of customs a minor girl is given as compensation for the perpetrated wrongdoing by the culprit’s family. The girls as young as 10 are married to men of 60 years old under these customs. These customs are similar to the customs which were used by the Arabs before the Islam’s arrival, where the sisters were given as compensation for the committed sins of their families. Such custom are highly prohibited by the Islam.
Dowry system is another form of social and cultural practices. It is hardly any family in the Pakistan in which this system is not followed. Not a single day passes without the death caused by the dowry. The pages of the newspapers are full with the stories of women torture who bring the insufficient dowry. Families create worst situation and force the brides to commit suicides. These families kill the brides and blackmail the paternal families and demand more dowry. If a maternal family of bride fails to meet demands of the in-laws then brides are given divorces. In fact women are entitled of dowry instead of the men. Islam provides an adequate dowry to women at the time of her marriage and save upgrade her status. These practices are upheld because of the distance from the Islamic teachings. The Allah Almighty says in the Glorious Quran,
“And give the women (on marriage) dowry as a gift………” (4:4)
Honor killing is another social and cultural tradition found in some parts of Pakistan. In these practices women are killed in the name of honor. It is known as karo- Kari in the Sindh. Under these practices men kill their daughters, sisters, and wives in order to restore the reputation of their families. If a woman is found to be indulged in immoral behaviors, in friendship and sexual relations to men, or refuses to arrange marriage, or demand the divorce from her husband, or a being raped by a man , then they are killed by cruel men. Islam does not allow for honor killing. It protects the women from being killed. The Quran says,
“Do not kill a soul which Allah made sacred except through the process of Law.”
Sexual harassment is another one of the abuses that women are facing in the Pakistan.
In Schools, Colleges, Universities, and other government and private sectors women are sexually compelled by men. The rape is growing crime in the Pakistan. Rape scandals and women violence crimes are explicitly found in the newspapers. Which are the evidences of the dreadful state of women and expose safety of women nowhere in Pakistan.
Acid throwing is another factor that inflicted on women. The reason includes women’s refusal of marriage or denial of friendship, husband doubt that his wife is indulged in sexual relations with other men, wife demand for divorce, and in some cases it is done to take revenge. But it is carried out mostly when a man proposes to girls for friendship or marriages and when she says “no”; then the best way to take revenge from her is to throw acid on her face. Maria Shah of Shikarpure who was the midwife, on his face acid was thrown by Arsalan Sanjrani when she refused to marry him.
The discriminatory laws were introduced as a part of process of Islaminization by Zia-ul-Haq in his military regime. Hudood ordinance equated the rape with adultery. The law of evidence (Qanoon-e-Shahadat) of 1984 made testimony of two women equal to one man in the financial transactions. There are considerable evidences that these legislations in spite of giving securities and valuable status to women impacted negatively one lives of women and made them vulnerable to extreme violence. Many women are imprisoned under the Hudood ordinance.
Islam is a comprehension religion. It guides the human beings in every sphere of life. It equates the women with men and provides equal status to women. But the ill-educated and conservative Scholars have interpreted the teachings of Islam in the best favor of males. They neglect status of women in every matter of life. They confine and underestimate the women’s rights of inheritance, education, marriage by consensus of marrying couple, divorce or Khulla, vote ,and expression of opinions.
To wipe out illegal and wicked customs, practices, and traditions, various governments in Pakistan passed different Bills and Acts in their regimes. The purposes of passing these bills and Acts were to protect the women from sexual harassment, domestic violence and other social and cultural oppressions.
Protection against harassment of women at workplaces Act 2010 is one the legislations passed in the recent past to prevent women from harassment, abuse, and intimidation at workplaces. The harassment is the biggest abuse that a woman faces at the workplaces. Due to this women hesitate to work at workplaces. This bill provides equal opportunities to women of participating in economic fields and to bring their families out of the curse of poverty. The intention behind this bill is to meet the standards of international labor.
Prevention of domestic violence Act 2008 is another legislation passed to protect women and children from domestic violence and oppression. This bill consists of the committees and officials. In accordance with this bill if anyone is found in sexual compelling, violence to women and children, will be liable to three years in prison or pay the fine of 500,000 Rupees. The bill includes all public places such as market, public transport, streets and parks, and private gathering and homes.
In 2006 the former president of Pakistan Pervez Musharaf proposed the amendment in the Hudood ordinance of 1979 and women protection bill was passed by the National Assembly, allowing the rape to be prosecuted under civil law.
Hence these above mentioned all Bills and Acts have been promulgated in the Pakistan but their practical implementations have never been seen. Women are in the same state as they were before. They are facing oppression, violence, abuse and inequality in their status and rights. Same heinous and wicked customs and cultural practices are in their original forms. Same sexual harassment and rape scandals are observed and clearly be seen in newspapers and Media. It seems that women cannot be equal in Pakistan. But nevertheless women can be equal in Pakistan if certain recommended suggestions are met in the economic, social and political fields.
Economically, firstly it is essential to identify causes and factors that keep the women subservient to men. Among them the most critical common factor is men wield power to keep a woman under his thumb. So power must be shared between the two. Joint ownership in agricultural land and other movable and immovable assets should be made compulsory for the house-wives in particular. Income and wealth earned by a woman should be her own property. Men should have not right over it. Secondly daughter’s right of inheritance along with her brother should be ensured legally and its denial should be protected from being usurped by the husband and the in-laws. Thirdly public sector policies, programs, and project should be equally favorable to men and women. There should be no discrimination.
Sociologically, the dreadful and heinous customs in Pakistani society will continue to have as long as the feudal system is not buried deep down from where it never be able to pop up. This system has been entrenched in our society. This system will be eradicated in the walk of revolution. Another factor that is in dire need of reform is education. Our educational system provides less opportunity for women of acquiring education. Women schools and institution of education are in lesser number than that of men have. If our country and Government show sincere dedications and commitments of promoting the women’s educational status, then nobody can deprive of women from their social, political, economical and legal rights. It is the duty of the media that it should play a prominent role in creating awareness of rights and education among the women. Besides it, NGO should spring up like the mushrooms throughout the country to empower women.
Legally, it goes without saying that various Bills and Acts of empowering the women have been passed in the recent past, but their practical implementations have not been seen yet. It is quite common in Pakistan that laws are put on papers, but there is little will of governments and ineffective mechanism to enforce them. The need of hour is that public should compel Government to enforce those pro-women laws into implementation so that the destructive customs could be eliminated from our society.
By summing all the discussion it can be said that Allah created human beings and divided them in genders. Both are created to assist each others in every walk of life and to lead a happy and comfortable life. It is evident from history that women are essential participants of society and are the key factors of nation and country development. But due to poverty, social inequality, and destructive customs in Pakistan restricted women from being empowered and made disastrous state of women. Ill-educated scholars, feudal, and male-dominated society never accepted the sacred status of women; they underestimated and confined their rights. Besides, the governments have legislated different laws to empower women but their implementations are negligible. But nowadays lives of women have been changed and there are more empowered than they were ever before.