Columnist Mosharraf Zaidi on Friday schooled anchorperson Ather Kazmi for blaming feminists for the ills in the country, as the two engaged in a spat on a current affairs show.
It began as the two spoke about the country's situation, and the ruling coalition’s measures to curb the opposition's attempts to launch a protest.
At the outset, Kazmi told anchorperson Asma Shirazi that nearly every section of society in Pakistan stands exposed in the prevailing situation.
The first group on his list that 'stood exposed' according to Ather Kazmi was, of course, feminists.
"Feminists are exposed, 'so called liberals' are exposed..."
At this point Mosharraf intervened and asked Kazmi to explain how feminists were to be blamed.
He remarked that there was no point bringing in feminists here.
"Some people are really troubled with a few women holding some placards in Pakistan every year [on Aurat March]," he added.
Zaidi went on to add that since 2016, the blame is blatantly shifted on to those who aren't responsible for the mess by any stretch of imagination.
He also asked Kazmi if he was ready to name the military for the prevailing situation.
He highlighted that Shireen Mazari - an elderly lady had been arrested for a third time by police while other women PTI leaders also suffered. "Have they been arrested by feminists?"
Later, Kazmi explained that what he actually meant was that right groups did not actually stand up for the suppressed when they should have.
As Marvi Sirmed had recently pointed out in an article, the very existence of these women rights groups irks the rightwing political pundits in Pakistan.
"Unlike the women’s rights activism during the first four decades after Independence, this new wave is neither just focused on the welfare schemes for women nor on reforming the state through the pro-women legal framework, rather it is doing all of this, and looking at the patriarchal schema and challenging the code of existence imposed on women but not made by them.
But, this is where the problem lies. This is the sin unpardonable. This is what qualifies them for all the opprobrium and calumny that the ‘righteous’ and the ‘faithful’ dutifully throw at them every year – the Aurat March marks the Fourth Wave Feminism in Pakistan."
It began as the two spoke about the country's situation, and the ruling coalition’s measures to curb the opposition's attempts to launch a protest.
At the outset, Kazmi told anchorperson Asma Shirazi that nearly every section of society in Pakistan stands exposed in the prevailing situation.
The first group on his list that 'stood exposed' according to Ather Kazmi was, of course, feminists.
"Feminists are exposed, 'so called liberals' are exposed..."
At this point Mosharraf intervened and asked Kazmi to explain how feminists were to be blamed.
He remarked that there was no point bringing in feminists here.
"Some people are really troubled with a few women holding some placards in Pakistan every year [on Aurat March]," he added.
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Zaidi went on to add that since 2016, the blame is blatantly shifted on to those who aren't responsible for the mess by any stretch of imagination.
He also asked Kazmi if he was ready to name the military for the prevailing situation.
He highlighted that Shireen Mazari - an elderly lady had been arrested for a third time by police while other women PTI leaders also suffered. "Have they been arrested by feminists?"
Later, Kazmi explained that what he actually meant was that right groups did not actually stand up for the suppressed when they should have.
As Marvi Sirmed had recently pointed out in an article, the very existence of these women rights groups irks the rightwing political pundits in Pakistan.
"Unlike the women’s rights activism during the first four decades after Independence, this new wave is neither just focused on the welfare schemes for women nor on reforming the state through the pro-women legal framework, rather it is doing all of this, and looking at the patriarchal schema and challenging the code of existence imposed on women but not made by them.
But, this is where the problem lies. This is the sin unpardonable. This is what qualifies them for all the opprobrium and calumny that the ‘righteous’ and the ‘faithful’ dutifully throw at them every year – the Aurat March marks the Fourth Wave Feminism in Pakistan."