View from my window

It is sad that I have to start by talking about my own experience of being a woman in a male-centric society. Sad, because we should've been able to move beyond this by 2017. But we haven't and it is not just true for a hypocritical and conservative society like Pakistan's but around the world even USA is stuck in an era where the burden of the proof still lies with a woman if she addresses any kind of unwanted advances by her male coworkers, class fellows or even complete strangers! Having breathed, studied and worked with men all of my educational and working life, i know the pressure of living with 'respectability'. Because after all, it is absolutely true, that 'only respectable women get respect'. And you have to, at all times, conform to what all that entails. For a free spirit like me, it has been crushing! But maintain it, i have! That also means that you are working at half the power and ability if you have to keep tabs on not letting slip that clo...

Its been a couple of days since Imran Khan and Reham Khan announced their separation and decision to divorce. Nothing out of the ordinary there, as the decision to marry was also theirs, except maybe the timing of the announcement which coincided with the local bodies elections and may have had an impact but thats something which would be very difficult to gauge. What I do find quite extraordinary and almost bordering on incredulous is the amazing audacity of PTI supporters to present this break up as a result of some sort of principled stand by Mr. Khan. The idea being that Ms. Khan wanted to play a role in party politics and Mr. Khan could not bring himself to allow this so he had to sacrifice his marriage for his principled stand! How utterly outrageous is this! This is not principled stance but rather immaturity and shortsightedness. These two got into this relationship out of probably love and, I would assume, mutual admiration and respect. It was definitely not an 'arranged...

Criminal justice system needs to be revised! I am saying this as a complete novice in the professional side of criminal justice system but living in this society, I am not entirely a layperson.   I believe it is fashioned in a way where it is creating professional criminals rather than stopping crime. Read this report of how two 15 year old boys tried to mug an 85 year old woman and when she resisted, they attacked and killed her. They were sentenced to 6 years in prison for the murder. When they leave the prison, they would have become professional criminals. I believe jails are the universities where people go in to gain advanced degree in crime! Their intention was not to kill the woman, it was to steal from the woman. It is quite clear that they could not have had the same start and privileges like what some of other human beings take for granted. Like a roof over their heads, supporting familial environments, access to education, a support system...