The rise of religious militancy in tribal areas and lately in urban parts of Pakistan is going to become a serious challenge for all the progressive, peace-loving and radical forces of Pakistan. It is the fast spreading phenomenon in almost every nook and corner of the country now. Almost all sections of society are being influenced by the creeping Talbanization. Like other sections of society, working classes and marginalized sections in Pakistan are also an easy prey to Taliban’s so-called anti-imperialist propaganda through pro-Taliban media.

In response to the horrific realization of the prevailing situation, Women Workers Help Line (WWHL) decided to counter Taliban propaganda by equipping women activists’ with logical radical arguments against the rising influence of religious militancy and talbanization. Therefore, a two-day socialist school for women workers was organized in Lahore on 3^rd and 4th of Jun 09. 30 women activists across the country actively attended this school. The format of the school was interactive lecture methodology to keep participants engaged actively. The school was divided into 6 sessions with 3 sessions each day. Every session was followed by question-answer sessions.

The topics discussed during the two-day school include; Threats to women under religious fundamentalism; impact of financial crisis on women in developing countries; women under patriarchal system; Socialism as only viable alternative; Capitalist exploitation of women; women role in social movements & way forward; war on terrorism and threats to women.

Robina Saigol, a renowned feminist, woman activist, talked at length about the complex social fabric of patriarchal system and its impact on the lives of women. She said patriarchy has its roots in the family systems, cultural values, religious norms and other systems shaped by man-made ethics. She termed patriarchy as deep rooted male dominated system since centuries has crept into the prevailing thinking patterns and given social, cultural and economic paradigms.

The patriarchy is integral part of the feudalism and tribalism as well as completely absolved within all economic systems. The social and political institutions, Robina said, are no exception to it. She said understanding patriarchy gives more understanding to why women must fight so hard to defeat the power of men. The only way to break patriarchy is united struggle of women with radicalized and progressive consciousness.

Farooq Tariq, a political activist and spokesperson Labor Party Pakistan in his lecture talked about the anti-women culture within political parties in Pakistan. According to him it is not easy for the women to join politics or political parties. The prevailing political culture as well as social norms do not favor Pakistani women to participate in political process. Without meaningful women participation in political process social menaces like patriarchy cannot be rooted out. He urged the women to come out and join radical progressive political parties, which believe in democratic socialism.  

Farooq also discussed rising religious militancy in Pakistan. He said Talbanization is a serious challenge to Pakistan today. He also touched upon open threats to women under possible Talbanization in Pakistani society. Progressive forces have to resist it as we cannot support military operation in Swat and also condemn Drone attaches by US-led NATO forces. The only way to fight militancy and talbanization is to organize the people, especially working classes in Taliban ridden areas, enabling them to defend themselves.

Nasira Javed Iqbal, Justice Retired and women rights activist in her lecture talked about state of denial of women rights as well as violation of women legal rights already granted to them by the Constitution of Pakistan. She threw light on a number of women legal rights as well violations of women rights. She was critical of the discriminatory laws against women and minorities. Implementation of certain laws which favor women is another challenge, need to be addressed. Women must come forward to assert their rights whatever they have.

Rabbiya Bajwa advocate and social activist shared views about the importance of women participation in social movements. She talked about her experiences in the recent lawyers’ movement. It is the women activists who led the movement. Rabbiya said as result of social dynamics of the two-year movement a new layer of women activists and leaders have come forward. These women will play important role in future movements. She emphasized the participants to break social taboos regarding women position in society and play their due role in social movements  

Bushra Khaliq, general secretary Women Workers Help Line, talked about the impact of financial crisis on women folk. She said women are the most marginalized section and are facing horrible socio-economic impact of the imperialist financial crisis. She urged governments in developing countries should not bail out banks and private sector at the cost of people.  Special bail out financial packages should be announced for working classes specially women to avoid the prevailing negative impact of international financial crisis. 

She exposed the ugly face of capitalism, whose sole emphasis is on the accumulation of wealth through exploitation of natural and human resources. She said capitalism is right now gripped by the worst crisis after 1930s economic depression and struggling for its survival. As ideology capitalism is a die hard, it cannot die itself as result of mere internal contradictions, but we have to hunt it down with full vigor of radical consciousness.  Though it is not easy to eliminate it but not impossible to defeat it. In the present financial crisis democratic socialism is the only viable alternative economic system. By democratic socialism does not mean a caricature of Stalinist model, rather we speak about a system based on universally acknowledged human rights, ecological viable, economically just, climate and women friendly.  

The women participants from Balochistan and Pashtoonkhawa provinces in their contributions expressed serious concerns about military operations in their areas. They told that due to law and order situation poor people are suffering the most. Women activists from Pashtoonkhawa were highly critical of increasing talbanization in the province. They said Taliban have made women lives a hell. They have restricted their education and mobility. They shared a number of stories of Taliban cruelties and increasing woes of women as a result of military operation in Swat.

Women said they were already facing cultural oppression which has been multiplied after the incursion by Taliban. Initially people were supporting Taliban but now dominant view is that Taliban are not Muslims but are mercenaries, supported by different forces working against Pakistan. Pakistan Army and Taliban are friends to each other. They also condemned America which created and aggravated the crisis through Drone attacks in tribal areas.                                    

The women from Balochistan, a province rich in natural resources but poor in economic and social terms, talked about the chronic deprivations of the poor people and women. They told that in Balochistan human rights violation are on the rise. And government of Pakistan is responsible for it. They highlighted the issue of unequal distribution of state resources among people of Balochistan. They also discussed the question of missing people, lifted by the state agencies in the last five years on the behest of America. Women said over 200 people have been disappeared forcibly by the agencies of Pakistan during Musharraf regime. The families, mothers, wives and sisters of disappeared people are in distress.

At the end of the two-day school the participants adopted a resolution calling upon the government to;

1. Immediately stop military operations in Swat and Balochistan.

2. Stop American Drone attacks in tribal areas.

3. Provide sufficient shelter and relief to IDPs with special focus on women.

4. Proper monitoring and audit of the foreign aid provided to Pakistan.

5. Produce missing people and pay compensation to victim families

6. Announce appropriate financial package for workers, laborers and home-based women workers.  

7. Repeal discriminatory laws against women and minorities

8. Acknowledge home-based women as workers and implement labor laws.

9. Financial crisis has adverse effects on working classes especially women and democratic socialism is the only viable alternative economic system.

10. Progressive and left forces should forget differences; forge unity to fight religious militancy and Talbanization.

 

END