Every now and then, village councils (called Panchayat) and assembly of elders (called Jirgas) generate bad news for women, children, minorities and downtrodden segments of society. The news that a jirga of elders of the Salarzai tehsil of Bajaur tribal district has ordered a ban on women’s entry to recreational spots merits the government’s attention as the decision simply turns women into domestic slaves and minimises their role in the outside world. The jirga demanded that the government legitimize their recommendation or they would enforce it on their own. The federal government is least likely to take any action since the all-male jirga consisted of the leaders of the local chapter of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, which is part of the ruling coalition. The area, however, falls under the administration of the provincial government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and it is hoped the chief minister would take necessary actions to discourage such anti-women thinking in the tribal society of the province. Not only in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but all over the country, women have been reduced to domestic help and the fact is vouched by the World Economic Forum’s report on the Global Gender Gap which stands Pakistan as the second worst country in terms of gender parity in the world as well as the region.
Anti-women elements often take the cover of traditional tribal customs and religious decrees to keep women chained. The Jirga was enraged at the huge influx of women at the recreational spot of the local Ragagan dam with their male relatives during the Eid holidays, which the elders said was against religious teachings and local customs and ethics. It is to be noted that the PTI government has taken notable measures to promote tourism in the country. When it was in power in the centre, the PTI notified soft visas for tourists and introduced tourism policies. On the other hand, if the Bajuar Jirga decision goes unnoticed, it will not only hurt the atmosphere of tourism but also bring a bad name to the country internationally. The active role of women in socioeconomic status is vital and established all over the world, but our society is struggling to come out of primitive conditions. The government must take action against the Jirga.
