MWL holds a peaceful march to decry anti-women agenda

PAT and Minhaj-ul-Quran Women League took out a peaceful march outside the Lahore Press Club in response to the objectionable placards and banners displayed on the occasion of the so-called Aurat March on the International Women’s Day. The March was led by MWL leaders namely Farah Naz, Sidra Kramat, Ayesha Mubashar, Zainab Arshad, Anita Ilyas, Sana Waheed, Amna Batool, and Noreen Alvi.

Addressing on the occasion, MWL President Farah Naz said that a select group tried to degrade the women in the name of the women rights and empowerment agenda on the occasion of Aurat March on March 8. She said that we reject their slogans and agenda and demand only those rights that are sanctioned by Islamic teachings and the constitution of Pakistan. She said that women dissociate themselves from the slogans that run contrary to the Islamic teachings, adding that we cannot allow ‘unknown’ women to obliterate our values and family traditions.

Women were carrying placards and banners on which slogans such as ‘education is my basic right’, ‘give me my share in inheritance’, ‘dignified job is right of women’, ‘daughters are blessings of Allah’, ‘my veil, my respect’ and ‘sharing the household work is the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) practice’ were written.

Farah Naz read out the special message of Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri in front of the participants of the March in which he said: “Islam is the only divine religion that not only encouraged the concept of women empowerment in every walk of life but also spelled out educational, moral and spiritual guidelines for this purpose. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) enhanced the prestige and status of a mother by describing that the paradise lay under her feet. The history of women rights in Islam is full of glorious traditions. The laws for women empowerment certainly exist but there is a dire need to translate them into reality.”

The women speakers said that we are happy that there is a personality in Pakistan that is advancing the Islamic concept of women empowerment in the country and has set up the institutions of learning and training for real empowerment of the women.

Farah Naz said that the Last Sermon of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) represents a complete charter of women rights. She said that women waged an exemplary struggle for the establishment of Pakistan by staying within the Islamic boundaries. She said that if women who constitute half of the overall population are kept out of the national mainstream, it will not be possible to achieve any development target.