Protest-savvy NGOs leave a distressed woman in the lurch

KARACHI – Sakina Nautkani, a woman camped on the pavement outside the Karachi Press Club (KPC) since the past eight months, seemed adrift while dozens of women’s rights activists came to protest on International Women’s Day, and went home after their shift was over. Not a single one of them came to ask why Sakina was there. “No, I have never heard of such a day,” Sakina innocently told Pakistan Today, even after multiple demonstrations held to celebrate women and their achievements, as well as propagating the need for a greater struggle to get more rights.
Different groups of women’s rights activists came to the KPC throughout the day, many of them bringing colourful placards with them to liven up their demonstrations. Most returned home without these placards, disposing of them on the pavement where Sakina now lives. In an irony of sorts, Sakina picked up one of those placards and hung it on the wall of the Press Club; the placard reads: “Jago Jago Ghareloo Mazdoor Khawateen” (Wake up home-based women workers).
“I do not know what is written on this placard, I just put it on the wall as it has pictures of women labourers,” Sakina said excitedly. “Why have they (the protestors) thrown pictures of these labourer women on the ground,” she innocently asked.
Sakina belongs to Matli, a remote area of District Badin. Much like her plight, social problems braved by the majority of women living in rural areas of Sindh went unnoticed on yet another International Women’s Day, as NGOs preferred to make their presence felt in urban centres such as Karachi and Hyderabad.
Along with her ailing husband, Sakina set up camp on the pavement outside the KPC some eight months ago after the couple ran out of money to put even a temporary roof over their heads. “We have been here for eight months and eight days,” Sakina said in an attempt to correct herself on the duration of their stay. As she explains, she has been keeping a count of each day and night they have had to live on the pavement – often without any food.
According to her, a local influential had occupied their three acres of agricultural land that had been given to them during Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s tenure. “We were forced to give the land to a local influential on mukato (contract), because we were unable to cultivate it due poverty. The landlord now refuses to leave,” she said with tears in her eyes.
When the couple initially arrived from their village, they had rented a one-room house in the Naya Abad area of Lyari, but after a few months, had to vacate the house since they didn’t have money to pay more rent. “We have had to sleep without food several nights. We have now started begging for money now,” Sakina said, explaining that she gets between 20 and 40 rupees every day from those who come to the KPC to stage demonstrations.
Sakina’s husband was once employed as a tailor, but had to quit after his eyesight weakened. “He also suffers physical weakness now, and often falls over because of his condition,” she said. They couple have no children of their own, Sakina said, with all three of her children having passed away before they reached 10 years. The couple adopted a boy from one of their relatives, and he lives with Sakina’s in-laws – their struggle seems to be for him.
Apart from sleeping hungry, the couple have also not bathed for many days. Sakina uses a toilet in the KPC’s parking area – a rare facility allowed to her by the Press Club’s management.
The couple belongs to the home district of Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza, and while PML-Q’s MNA Marvi Memon and Sindh Human Rights Minister Nadia Gabol visited the couple, they have been unable to get justice. According to her husband, they had also approached the court but the case is still pending as they have no money to hire a lawyer to persuade the case.