March 11, 2024
By Xari Jalil
LAHORE
Following International Women’s Day, the Women’s Action Forum on Monday, March 11, expressed its solidarity with peoples’ struggles everywhere and in particular the resistance shown by the Palestinians and, in Pakistan, the Baloch.
It honoured the bravery and courage of the people of Palestine who continued to resist the hands of the Zionist state of Israel. The forum condemned the hypocrisy of the United States and European nations who have been continuously ignoring Israeli terrorism and have been using human rights slogans to push their own global interests and violated these slogans when it suited them.
Political Pressure
Members of WAF – which was formed in 1981 in Karachi under the oppressive Zia-ul-Haq military regime – also expressed outrage at the abusive language used against women political workers and the violence meted out to them and other political actors on Sunday, for exercising their democratic right to a peaceful protest.
They demanded that state authorities must move beyond empty promises and take due action against the perpetrators of violence against women and other vulnerable groups and communities and make fair compensation.
Regarding the arrests and violence of the PTI workers, WAF strongly condemns the use of violence and the arrests of PTI marchers demanding an investigation of electoral malpractice.
“The right to dissent and peaceful protest are the cornerstones of a democratic polity. The use of violence against citizens exercising this right is a hallmark of dictatorship, not democracy. This action by the newly formed government has not only undermined its credibility but makes a mockery of the peoples’ aspirations and hopes for a democratic state,” reads their statement.
On the other hand, WAF also strongly condemned the abusive language and threats of rape hurled at Maryam Nawaz and other women parliamentarians, such as on the floor of the KP Assembly by PTI, reminding the party that its supporters that they are debasing not only themselves and their own women’s supporters but also all the women of Pakistan, and reinforcing the norms of sexual violence and abuse against women, when they use such language for other women political workers and threaten them with physical and sexual abuse.
The organization said that it has zero tolerance for such language and behaviour and condemns it, regardless of which political party uses it. It urged the party leadership to adopt a code of conduct for its members and workers of decency and respect, particularly for women, and penalize those violating the code.
Marginalized Communities
WAF also conveyed their complete support for the Baloch women who recently took out a long march from Turbat to Islamabad and displayed their courage in the face of state violence, during their struggle for justice for the disappeared persons.
It condemned the violence against religious minorities of Pakistan such as the Jawanwala incident, and strongly condemned forced conversions of girls belonging to these communities.
The harassment and bullying perpetrated against women at workplaces, – such as what happened with parliamentarian Sobia Shahid on the assembly floor in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. WAF urges elected members to facilitate procedures for the implementation of laws on domestic violence and underage marriage.
It reminds elected members that it is their responsibility to safeguard the democratic rights of all peoples – women, men, trans-genders, persons with disabilities – and to ensure that justice is both procedural and substantive.