Ceiling of imagination.

Within the last few weeks, movements to reimagine the future of the country have gained momentum. Several prominent politicians have participated in public discussions and forums to confront the grim political and economic realities and have argued for consensus in confronting existential challenges through dialogue. This, and other similar efforts, are in principle a positive effort and a step in the right direction. We do need to reflect, analyse and organise for a brighter future that seems impossible to so many. Yet, I am afraid that the re-imagine Pakistan, and other similar efforts, are unlikely to bring about the positive change that they aspire to.

First and foremost, these efforts and dialogues are dominated by men. The overall participation of women among panelists has been dismal. The argument that 'we tried but could not find,' is both absurd and insulting. Any conversation about a better future of the country that excludes women, or does not have equal representation of women, is deeply problematic. A review of news in the last two weeks paints a depressing picture. Society has become a place where instances of a woman being raped in a park in Islamabad, or sexually assaulted by guards in a moving bus in Vehari are no longer causing a national outrage. A minister using his influence to deny a qualified woman a job (in this case of DG Hajj), for which she is the top candidate, simply because she is a woman, is quickly forgotten with a series of weak excuses and shoulder shrugs. The ambassador of the country to the UN makes a remark that seems to justify the denial of education to women in Afghanistan on 'peculiar Pashtun culture' and it is business as usual. While all of these instances are from the last fortnight, we should not think that somehow these challenges have magically appeared. The list of gut-wrenching episodes is too long to recount here. But it is not the fringe elements that are responsible for murder, honour killings, assault...

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