By Zabih Ullah Khattak (Pakistan)

Women have the same rights as men and they are the same beings as men except the physical and biological lambs which draw a distinction between these two genders. Although universally acceded fact, women are not less likely to do the work which is done by the opposite sex. Moreover, women are relentlessly borne the brunt of unequal treatment in the hands of male counterparts and silently obscure the intensity of the treatment which they have met with. The unusual and brutal acts being rendered about women have deceptive and unconventional consequences that plummeted the human rights index to its ebb.

The prevention of women to attain primary education is the first among several atrocious treatments being met with women. Still a staggering statistic shows that more than 70% of women, especially in third world countries, are out of reach to even primary education that colored the picture with invisible painting. Furthermore, women’s education carries no effect in the eyes of those who are residing in rural areas because they take it as an unnecessary and meaningless activity. The local indigenous of rural areas taking for granted and consider it a question of shame or pride, the ones who are diehard about women education and do not allow them to take preliminary education are proudly announcing that I ever not allowed my girls to step into educational places and sarcastically comments on those who are rendering opportunities to their girls by getting education.

A most worrisome aspect of the women in rural areas’ is their unawareness which rendered energy to the male counterparts by using the folly of women to obstruct all the legal rights which could supposedly be given to women. Adding to that more than 80% of women are not getting their due rights in the properties of their parents due to several reasons like they are unaware about the legal process to pursue, they are fearful about the loss of their family members, they are more sympathetic about their spouses etc.

Although in Pakistan the majority of the people are the staunchest believer of Islam and they are claiming a stagnant Muslim by not compromising any belief, but here in the case of women they seem like not being Muslim or totally forget about this aspect of Islam which commands all the Muslims to not violate women rights. As in last sermon Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing upon Him) warned the entire believers “O People it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under Allah’s trust and with His permission. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. The irony is, the people of rural areas have no intention to exercise Islamic tenets here but bring here the outdated customary laws which immunize them to not give women their due rights.

A problem that most probably inculcated into the minds of local people is that the women do not render the same intellects as the men and they are used to be the second class gender in the eyes of men.

In conclusion one must not escape from the fact that women play pivotal roles in our societies and Islam renders utmost respect to women and severally mentioned in Holy Quran about women rights ironically we are never able to understand the real meaning of Islam and portray Islam as an unclear religion. It is important to note here that women shall not be deprived of their due rights and must ensure that they are essential part of our lives and must treat them with utmost gentle