In a shocking incident a Pakistan’s female MP, Nusrat Sahar Abbasi has threatened to set herself on fire after allegedly facing harassment from her male colleagues in the Parliament. She has claimed that the entire incident went on to prove how women rights are still ignored in the country.
According to an AFP report, Nusrat asserted that provincial minister Imdad Pitafi invited her to his private chambers on the floor of the assembly something that was considered a remark under sexual harassment in Pakistan. She went on to claim the woman deputy speaker of the assembly refused to take an action despite of her demanding strong action against the entire incident.
After the authorities did not take any action despite of a number of requests, Nusrat who was extremely furious over the entire humiliation held a bottle of petrol and threatened to set herself on fire if the action against the harassment was not taken. The matter soon erupted in social media with people across the globe coming out in support of Nusrat and questioning the laws put in place for women.
Following this, the federal chief stepped in and the provincial minister was forced to put forth and apology. Nusrat was also feliciated with a shawl to show admiration. While speaking to AFP, Nusrat asserted while the issue was in the past, it does brings forth the loophole in the laws for women’s right and how they are not enforced.
“Their implementation of women right is still a dream. Even the parliamentarians are not protected from gender biases and harassment,” Nusrat told AFP.
It was only last year, that a bill protecting women’s rights in Punjab redefined “violence” to include “any offence committed against a woman including abetment of an offence, domestic violence, emotional, psychological and verbal abuse, economic abuse, stalking or a cyber crime”.
