Culture and civilization are multifaceted phenomenon, which make the knowledge, belief, art, tradition, morals and laws acquired by an individual as members of society. It is the pattern of life through which the particular area or exacting group repeatedly practice the normal activities and social arrangement of life. Through culture the individual can express their emotions and can make his/her judgements. Shortly, Culture is the scaffold and skeleton of philosophy of ideas, attitude, significant code, values, languages and way of life. There are more than 6.5 billion people living on the surface of earth, and the greater split of them is Asians that makes total 2/3 share of the total followed by Africa, Europe, Latin and north America. It is quite tricky job to notify the total exact number of cultures of the world. This is because breaking down a particular culture needs an in-depth study, analysis and immense endeavour to cover all characteristics and also time involve phenomena. However we can scrutinize any culture through their tongue divergence that are more likely to uphold the cultural differences. Linguists estimate that the world total speaking languages are about five to six thousands, but it is also a known fact that every five years more than hundred lingos are disappearing from the world.
Every country has its own culture and tradition that define its societal, economical and political limitations; experienced from the past, set for present and apply for future upkeeps. Taking example from Pakistan, Pakistani culture is very different due to its Islamic panorama, rich historical milieu, national and regional language, well-off literature etc. Pakistani culture can be linked with Islamic civilization like faith in oneness of God, Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) their prophet, believe in egalitarianism, brotherhood and social integrity. The terrain of Pakistan is divided into four provinces and Federally Administered Tribal Area(FATA) and every region has its own native languages such as pastho, Panjabi, sindhi,balochi,sarahki and barohi. However national language is Urdu that is understood and spoken in all parts of the country. The rich literature has placed Pakistan on top existing nations of the world. The land has produced countless eminent and famous literary figures like writers, poets, scholars, philosophers and intellectuals. Apart from the above stated characteristics, Pakistani culture is still dominated by the males. The equality between men and women is becoming the dream of tomorrow, in Pakistani culture women is the honours and seraph of the house and she has no right to come out from the home. Various factors are responsible to cast out the women from their rights like cultural and traditional, religious, social, economical, political causes.
Pakistan is a patriarchal society and the feudal and tribal culture still exists that do not allow women to come out from their home and contribute in social or political activities. Women are still deprived of their social rights. Education of women is considered a sin and now becoming the daydream of tomorrow. They have no permission to receive education from family members, injecting the message of Islam that Islam don’t allow women to come out from the home, forgetting that Islam is the name of equality and believe in equal opportunity to both men and women. Religiously Islam equates women rights to those men enjoy. The Holy book Quran itself shed light on the quality of men and women in the injection “O mankind ! Lo! We (Allah) created you both male and women and have made you in nations, tribes so that you may know each other and the most noble in the eyes of Allah, is the one who is in good conduct” (Surah Hujurat:13) in similar verses “Every soul will be ( Hold) in the pledge for its deeds” (74:38), but due to lack of understanding of Islam and rigid vision of individual, it has lead to creation of male dominated society. Women are killed in the name honour, she is forced to marry a man of 75 years. When sisters sit together they always praise their brothers and when brothers sit together, they sell their sisters and daughters. The childlike sister of 13 or 14 who has dream in her eyes to do something for family and society is sold to a man of 75 years.
Similarly the constitution of Pakistan has also guaranteed the equal rights to both men and women which they deserve, like in clause 2, Article 25 of constitution of Pakistan, “there shall be no discrimination on the bases of sex alone”, similarly, Article 19 of the constitution has sanctioned the freedom of speech and expression of every citizen for both men and women of the country. Article 34 specially address the participation of women in every field of life just like men i.e “the state shall ensure the participation of women in every walk of life of the national life’, but very wretchedly there is no true carrying out of either Islamic teaching or constitutional laws, rather two different concepts are still existing in Pakistani society. A women who speaks against the inequality, cruelty and discrimination is treated as inferior, unacceptable, and looked down by family and society for either complaining or for being “too liberal” or “shameless” by disclosing the realities that speak of gender discrimination. These women include who say “No” to forced marriage, who speak out for getting education like male or chose their husband by themselves. Secondly, the women who silently bear all the injustice, domestic violence and don’t speak up for her rights, such women are praised as being a women of high character, a pride for the family, she becomes the honour for his father and get respect from his husband and label them “The Real Women”.
So to create a better future for the females and to bring them out from the four walls of their houses, their basic rights should be protected, a women should be given equal opportunity in education like men, a preclusion of societal traditions abusing women, the equality in economic field for instigating economic programs for the economic freedom of women, reasonable consideration to women in jobs, more programmes should be carried out for the participation of women in political arena, electoral process and effective participation in legislation, so that they can legislate for their rights’ protection. The above stated privileges and civil liberties will be accomplished by the constrictive role of media, a continued struggle by civil society, effective awareness by educated women highlighting their grievances to make Pakistan a place where everyone will enjoy and fulfil their potential and make tomorrow’s dream possible.
Saleem khan
Lahore, Pakistan
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