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issue MOOD
STREET Town
Talk
Cold response RESPONSES TO LAST WEEK'S
Moral policing Visitors to public parks are likely to witness hide 'n'seek game between dating couples and policemen By Shahzada Irfan Ahmed The news about some couples
booked for indulging in 'immoral activities' in Bagh-e-Jinnah in broad No doubt Bagh-e-Jinnah is one of the very few places in the city where young couples go for dating but this does not mean that every other person present at the park has come here for this very purpose. It's a place that houses a public library, botanical garden, cricket ground, an open air theatre and what not. Presence of members of both sexes at these locations and their mutual interaction (within the norms of decency) are therefore not something that call for police action. The other thing that a common reader is unable to comprehend is why the so-called culprits would indulge in 'immoral activities' at a crowded place like Bagh-e-Jinnah. These activities can include anything starting from holding each other's hands, kissing, embracing, fondling and even beyond. Even if someone has the audacity to act this way in a public park, is it possible that he or she remains in that state for long, totally oblivious of the approaching policemen. These were some of the questions that TNS tried to clear this week. Muhammad Liaquat, record-keeper at Civil Lines Police Station, tells TNS that in total nine girls and six boys were arrested in a police raid in Bagh-e-Jinnah. Unable to define the very acts in which they were involved, he says the action was taken in response to public complaints. "The administration of Bagh-e-Jinnah and regular visitors of the park had filed several complaints with the police highups. Therefore, the action was inevitable," he adds. Liaquat says it is sometimes next to unbearable for parents who come here with their children to see such couples act in a lewd manner. On further insistence,
Liaquat tells TNS that FIRs under Sections 293 and 294 of Pakistan Penal Code Now can any one tell here how many people have been put behind bars for urinating against walls or using abusive language in the public. May be none -- the reason simply being that our police force finds these acts very much within the limits of their self-defined decency and morality. There have been instances in the past where police arrested couples in different public parks including Race Course Park, without the consent of Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) highups. Former DG PHA Shabbir Ahmed had even warned the police to stay away from the parks under its jurisdiction. But in this case, it has been learnt, that the administration of the park itself asked the police to purge it of such elements. Unlike many other parks of the city, Bagh-e-Jinnah falls within the jurisdiction of Punjab Agriculture Department. Imtiaz Gill, a lawyer who frequents Quaid-e-Azam Library in Bagh-e-Jinnah, tells TNS that he has often seen policemen extort money from young couples in the park. "Most of them are willing to pay money as they are afraid more of their parents than police." Imtiaz says the policemen always find ways to fleece people. While the Women Protection Bill removes the right of police to detain people suspected of having sex outside marriage, without approaching court they can arrest them on charges of prostitution. A senior police official tells TNS on conditions of anonymity that normally police do not arrest dating couples until and unless they cross all the limits. They have been instructed not to interfere in the personal affairs of the people needlessly and concentrate all their energies on maintaining law and order in the city, he adds. "I am ready to go right now with you to any public park in the city. You will find dozens of unmarried couples together. Had the police been averse to this activity all of them would have been in lockups," he adds. About the above mentioned raid, he says he has come to know that the local police had received complaints about certain prostitution rackets operating inside Bagh-e-Jinnah. He says the local press had even blamed the local police of patronising these rackets. People would throw covert signals to the passersby and offer the potential customers different deals. "No doubt there are chances of abuse of power in such cases but I have learnt from the concerned officials that the raid in question was made in strict accordance with the law," the police official adds.
By Sarah Sikandar "What to do?" "Where to go?" are the favourite Sunday slogans. Taking advantage of the benign sun and the Lahoris who prefer to stay indoors for one day, I decided to see the Lahore Wildlife Park I had heard so much about. Accompanied by a fifty year old and a two year niece, I set off to see how wild Lahore could get. It took us about thirty five minutes to reach the park which is off Raiwind Road Lahore. Once on the Raiwind Road we
came across countless posters and banners of the Shers (Lions) who, With the entry ticket paid, we entered the park expected to be thronged by animals of all species. But there were none. The place looked nothing like a zoo nor a safari and you start cursing yourself for having burnt the fuel unnecessarily. The place hardly made any sense; it is nothing close to a park, let alone a safari or a zoo. Just before I decided to declare how disappointed I was, I saw cars waiting outside huge gates. I parked my car outside one of the gates, to be told by one of the men that only one car at a time can pass the gate. The gates were eventually opened to a semi-jungle sort of a piece evidently uncared for. But the tigers took your attention away from the burnt grass and ditches. Driving in the middle of tigers was a thrilling experience. Those of you who have not experienced live safari before would love it. Seeing a tiger at a ten feet distance from the car is both scary and exciting. Sadly though, the fun ends here. There are no worth mentioning animals other than the 'Kings' who seemed have been dethroned. The bird collection could be a notable feature of the Park. Under a huge covering there are all sorts of birds. Peacocks and macaos looked beautiful amidst other small and big birds strolling here and there dispersed like school children. If you like birds, this could be a dream-come-true for you. Actually it was over-enthusiasm about the whole idea of a safari that turned me off. Very few people know about the 'park'. If you don't really care about the animals, the place is a good refuge from the over-crowded Race Course Park or Shalamar Gardens. The place is good for people who have small children. Nothing fascinates a child more than a drive along a tiger den. Sameera, a 30 years old mother of twins has been taking her children to the park almost every month. Initially they were very excited about tigers but now they come here to play cricket with their father. The Park suits her also because she lives in Canal View, a fifteen minutes drive from the Park. Uzma often comes here with her six years old son but she wonders if she comes here for herself or her son. They come here for the much needed break from job and studies. The 50 year old accompanying me was very happy to see the birds roaming around freely. She simply loathes cages, particularly encaged birds. Frankly there is not much about the Park to write home about. But if you are a picnic family this may be the place for you. Especially what cynical elders like me may take for granted could be an enjoyable experience for children. Town Talk • Exhibition of miniature paintings by Attiya Shaukat titled 'Bones/Steel' at Rohtas Gallery till Jan 31. • Sudh Sangeet is celebrating the Barsi of Ustad Nazir Hussain Shami
and remembering his student Ustad Ghulam Jaffer Khan on Jan 29 at • 8th Annual Congress Pakistan Society of Hepatology at Pearl Continental Hotel. Today is the last day. • The EU fashion cycle: 3rd workshop on EU market entry strategy from Tuesday, Jan 29 to Thursday, Jan 31 from 8:30am to 5:30pm at Pearl Continental Hotel. • A discussion session with Shaukat Ali Shah on travo-novel in USA at Model Town Library on Jan 31 at 5:30pm. • Polo PPA Tournament at Lahore Polo Club. Today is the last day. Time: 10am. • Punjab inter-district gymnastic championship at Government Islamia College Civil Lines today from 10am to 6pm. • Football: Wapda vs Army tomorrow at Railway Stadium • Polo: Punjab Cup at Lahore Polo Club from Jan 28 to Feb 3 • Puppet Show for Children every Sunday at Alhamra, The Mall at 11am. Fee: Rs. 5/10. • Puppet Shows for everyone every Sunday at Peerus Cafe at 3pm. Society must own them There is hardly an NGO working for the rehabilitation of sex workers who may have come in this profession due to poverty, coercion or deception but want to quit By Sakina Aamir Asifa, a 28-year old tall and smart sex worker, lives in a slum behind Data Darbar with her five sisters and mother. Carrying a bag on her shoulder, she reaches Shadman Market where she has three regular customers. She knocks at one door, then another and another. In three hours, she earns six hundred rupees and then moves to Ichhra in search of more customers. When luck favours, she makes the required money from one customer alone. Every dawn brings fears of
aging and frustration of becoming unwanted. In her teens, when Amna "In our profession complexion, skin, figure and age decide the price. Those between 16-18 year charge one to two thousand rupees a night, whereas those between 20-30 get Rs300-500 and a woman older than this might end up making only Rs100 per client," she says. "I was working as a marketing girl for a local brand of soap. Once I went to an office to sell the product. There were three people who called me inside and offered me lunch. They promised to buy the entire carton of soaps and I was quite relieved to hear that as my product was being sold." But they raped her, bought soaps and gave her an extra amount of Rs500. Since that day, she has never sold soaps and cosmetics again. Amna's story may or may not be true. But the truth is that economic reasons have been a huge motivation to drive women towards becoming sex workers. On Sunday, near the A.G. office I met a 45-year old pimp who told me that her customers choose the sex worker according to their economic status. Mostly, her clients are clerks of lawyers who can only afford to pay Rs100-300 and that too on weekends. The rates are even lower at some other places like railway station, as low as Rs50. Salma, a gypsy girl, is one such low paid sex worker. Always untidy and careless about her appearance, her clients are bus conductors and some masseurs. "I was in love with a masseur. Once he brought two of his friends along who raped me and left me broken. For the next couple of days he did not come back. One day he came, guilty for what he did. He assured me he would marry me soon and I was again trapped. With the passage of time, he started to use me as a pimp and gradually I became familiar with these affairs," she says inhaling a deep puff of hash (charas). "Now I have become an addict and this is the only way to make money for drugs." Pakistan, a Muslim state, ensures the provision of strict punishment for adultery and prostitution. According to Section 8 of the Pakistan Suppression of Prostitution Ordinance 1961, "Whoever procures or entices or leads away or attempts to procure, entice or lead away any woman or girl for the purposes of prostitution, persuades a woman or girl to leave her usual place of abode, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or if the person convicted is a male, he may be punished with whipping in lieu of or in addition to any other punishment provided in this section." Despite these laws in Pakistan the number of prostitutes is increasing by the day. According to a report of International Human Rights Monitoring Group, "As many as 40% women resort to sex trade due to poverty, 32% by deception, 18% due to coercion, 4% due to surroundings (born sex workers) and only 2% are involved in the sex trade by choice." The law enforcement agencies are aware of these statistics and in some cases the police-sex worker connection is promoting the trade under official shelter. Sometimes when the client refuses to pay, the sex worker can not approach the police because it is in an illegal trade and any report to police would mean more exploitation. Similarly if they are physically tortured they can not go to the police. The sex-workers are living in terrible conditions and society is not ready to own them. For a common man these bad women are the shadows of evil, playing havoc with their moral values. This is not a sane view because they are a part of our society and we have to work for the rehabilitation of these girls. They need a helping hand from society. Proper medical treatment and an honourable job can bring them to a normal life if they so desire. Unfortunately, concerned NGOs have restricted their role to the imparting of sex education. Their role in HIV awareness is significant but nobody has taken step to restore the well-being of prostitutes. There is hardly an NGO which is working for the rehabilitation of these women who have come in this profession due to poverty, coercion and deception and want to quit. These NGOs together with multinational companies give a generous donation of contraceptives in red light areas, which becomes little more than a sales promotion tactic. A time has come to debate this issue in detail including all its dimensions. Our hypocritical attitude will bring more disaster to the society. Amna wants to quit this profession and wishes to spend a normal life. She believes that one day her angel will bring a ray of hope for her. We must help her in this quest. Cold response Labourers suffer most because there is little or no work for them in this harsh weather By Shehryar Warraich Lahore, the provincial capital, presents a bleak picture of its labour. Thousands of poor labourers throng the different chowks in the city in the first half of the day, looking for work. Unfortunately, most of them return without getting any work. There are twenty five points in Lahore where they come to seek work. Dharampura, Saddar Cantt, Defence Mor, Ichhra, Garhi Shahu, Minar-e-Pakistan, Bhaati Chowk, Chungi Amar Sadhu, Kahna, Green Town, Township, Multan Chungi, Bhatta Chowk, R A Bazar and Walton are some of them. The reasons why they are
visible in such huge numbers is lack of work. The weather is very cold Most of the labourers reach the addas very early in the morning hoping that it might help them in getting work. Some of them have been seen having breakfast on the roads and some don't eat at all because there is no money in their pockets. Most of the time it happens that the labourers keep sitting idle and start playing cards that further turns into gambling. "Sometimes there are only one or two days when we get work in a week. I have eight children and along with my wife we are ten members of the family. My house rent is five thousand a month. If I get three working days on Rs300 a week, at the end of the month I have earned no more than four thousand. How can I pay the house rent? The money I get has already been spent on food and nothing is left for education of my children. When I don't get work my family starves the whole day and if there is no work for two or three days me and my wife work in different people's houses", Liaquat tells his sad story. "The wages for one day labour used to be Rs125 five years back which was sufficient for us because firstly, living was not so expensive and secondly, I didn't have a large family. Moreover, the number of labourers was less, one reason why it was a source of permanent income. Now there is less work on one hand and in winter and rainy season it reduces to bare minimum," he says. Like all others, this poor community also dreams of seeing their children becoming doctors and engineers but their dreams never come true. Most of the labourers are buried six feet under the earth without their wishes being fulfilled. The maximum a labourer manages to educate his issue is upto matriculation level. "Due to dearness and lack of work, feeding is difficult. How come we send our children to schools," say most of the labourers belonging to Lahore. "I have eight children and no work for five days. Sometimes we have to borrow money from others but it cannot be a permanent source of livelihood," states Basheer Ahmed. Muhammad Jamil shares the same emotions and considers establishment responsible for all this. "Establishment has given nothing to this nation but dearness. No work is available for the last four months. Prices are high and expenditures big but incomes are low. Rice is for Rs65 per kg, milk 30, oil 110, last but not the least, a 10 kg bag of flour is for Rs 150 whereas we earn Rs. 300 per day. My children go to government school but they are not learning anything because the government schools have no standard of teaching. I have a question, "Don't I and my family have a right to lead a good life? Don't my children have the right to look good, to eat well, to wear new clothes and to get education?" Almost the whole labour community has one common problem, that is they have more people to feed and very little income and resources for a decent living. The poor labourers are struggling hard to make both ends meet. RESPONSES
TO LAST WEEK'S TOP 10 1. Buy gold 2. Buy an insurance policy
3. Buy land 4. Prize bonds 5. Buy certificates from monthly savings 6. Starve yourself 7. Stop sending children to school 8. Sell your kidney 9. National Savings Scheme 10. Spend only when necessary To enlist by popular vote for next week, send in your emails on top ten 'top ten soup spots' Please
email at shehrtns@gmail.com
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daylight
was amazing as well as reminiscent of bygone days -- of the days when late
General Ziaul Haq had imposed a strict code of morality on his countrymen.
Policemen were seen sniffing mouths of young lads or demanding nikahnamas from
couples if they wanted to avoid a visit to the nearby police station.
were registered against the accused. The said sections state that whoever, to
the annoyance of others, does any obscene act in any public place, or sings,
recites or utters any obscene songs, ballad or words, in or near any public
place, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term
which may extend to three months, or with fine, or with both.
of course, did not belong to the Park.
Alhamra, Gaddafi Stadium at 5:30pm.
was a newcomer in this field, she charged Rs1000 from each client per shift.
As she grows old, the client is hesitant to pay her that much, for obvious
reasons.
these days and people normally don't go for construction or repairs in such a
weather. The contractors take advantage of their pitiable condition and pay
fewer wages to the labourers. A mason normally earns Rs500 for a day's work
and a labourer Rs300 but due to less activity, these wages reduce to Rs300
and Rs150 respectively; thus cutting their monthly income even shorter.
