LAHORE: The National Women’s Day was celebrated widely by civil society and women activists on Wednesday.

The biggest event was held at the Applied Socio-economic Research (ASR) Resource Centre by Women Action Forum members who marked the historic struggle of Pakistani women against the discriminatory laws by dictator Gen Ziaul Haq.

There were performances and poetry as well as speeches by the women who had come for the event. The women participants had come from all over Punjab.

Nighat Saeed Khan, founder member of WAF, told Dawn that when a series of anti-women laws were passed by Gen Zia in 1983, the women of Lahore led by women lawyers and WAF took to The Mall (Lahore) as well as M.A Jinnah Road in Karachi, to protest against the situation.

Neelam Hussain gave more details about the protest.

“The mood was already angry, desperate and claustrophobic among women when this protest was called by the women lawyers,” she said adding that it was here that Asma Jahangir and Hina Jillani openly declared to resist the Law of Evidence that reduced a woman’s account of witness by half. Since Section 144 was in place, things turned ugly soon.

Educationist and WAF member, Nasrene Shah said, “We were not ready to tolerate that.” But she said they did not expect violence either. “We were to walk to High Court in twos, but the police cordoned us off and did not allow us after which we had a sit-in. Habib Jalib also joined us and then violence started.”

She recalls the scene, saying some women managed to disperse and ran down The Mall, some were beaten up, the others were sent to jail.

Neelam Hussain added that it was also probably for the first time that women from across the socio-economic strata converged for a protest.

“Gen Zia had introduced the concept of “chadar char diwari” and had pushed women on television to start covering their heads and wear no make-up. There were other things happening too that were pushing women backwards into claustrophobia.”

When WAF was formed in 1981, it was in response to a case that happened, and it was pretty active in all its city chapters. But there was limited public presence. On Feb 12, Asma Jahangir and other women lawyers called for the protest. “We cannot remove Zia, [they said], but we wont let it pass easily either,” said Hussain.

“It was a big deal to be out on the road like that, so there was a feeling of freedom and of fear both,” said Zareen Shafi, a WAF member.

LCWU: The National Women’s Day was observed on Feb 12 in Lahore College for Women University to commemorate women achievers in Pakistan.

At LCWU, Women Development Minister Ashifa Riaz Fatyana emphasised the importance of women in the economy of the country.

Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Bushra Mirza also spoke at the event.

Retired Justice Nasira Javed Iqbal said education was integral to women, and there was no set age for it.

SP Dolphin Force Lahore Aisha Butt said in order to achieve a place in life, women must consciously have a purpose and make consistent effort to reach that goal.

Activist for Bonded Labourers Ghulam Fatima said nothing was impossible for women as she herself had worked continuously for 40 years for brick kiln labourers’ rights.

Neelam Hussain commended the skills and confidence of the women belonging to the younger generation.

Addressing the ceremony, Head of Department of Mass Communications Dr Anjum Zia said half of Pakistan’s population comprised women and that the country’s development could not ever be possible without them.

“I pay tribute to all women irrespective of their sector,” she said.

Deputy Secretary of Human Rights Department Muhammad Yusuf, Regional Head of Organisation Stability Partnership Development Shahnawaz Khan and others also highlighted the role of women in Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2020