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The girl in gory showing us a play-card “Apna khan Khud garam karlu!”. A mind that is obliterated, a body that is battered, a soul that is dislodged. She was there, lying in blood looking at us with her wide-open eyes, and all we can do is to remorse that the play-card should have been taken seriously instead of being mocked.
A man in KPK allegedly killed his wife as she failed in serving “Hot meal” for Sehri. The news dusted off the not-so-famous slogan, “Apna Khana khud garam karlu!”. Although the man is criminal and he will be trialed under section 302, but now is the time that we need to discuss that what are the reasons that exhort someone to act so draconianly. It is the need of time that we address these issues because I am afraid that if we don’t, we are jeopardizing the lives of many.
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Now it would be an understatement to argue that the murderer is caught, and this is the solution. We need to find the impetus behind such actions, we need to see what kind of thoughts regularly reinvigorates such acts. So there are many things which can be the driving energy behind it, the muddied representation of religion can exacerbate the condition. The seminaries do have a responsibility here, I hope they will address these issues.
In addition to this, the hyper-nationalist approach towards culture can be a deteriorating factor too. For instance, Pakhtuns often flaunt their culture to be 5000 years old(I do it too), and its nothing wrong with it, but its man-made culture, things can change. The concept of undermining the females in Pakhtoon family is quite evident, Pashtuns need to look up to leaders like Bacha khan who were staunch believers in Women Rights.
Another fallacious argument presented is that the slogan hurts the emotions/feelings of a majority. “Spirit” of the people to be specific. I think we are in the time when rationality and pragmatism should be revered instead of emotions, and as facts don’t care about emotions. And let me tell you the fact that a girl just died because a man couldn’t warm his food. Cooking food is a basic necessity that should never be assigned to a specific gender.
Although you might say that my religion promises the rights, my culture promises the rights. But we are not living in a utopia, because ground realities reek of something else.
Now how can we solve this situation? Firstly, our understanding of religion should be made clear. In addition to this, instead of calling everyone “western-thinking” or “Yahodi sazish” we need to sit down and talk about this issue, definitely taking women on board too. Now is the time that we dismantle the system that provokes such acts, a system in which the man thinks to be the center of the universe, a system of superiority complex.
Do tell us in the comments section below, as what you think are the causes that led to such a violent act? and what can be the possible solution to such grieving situation?
You can also check my opinion regarding the slogan “Mera Jism Meri Marzi!” here:
