Whatever the claims of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government functionaries might be regarding ban on women’s visit and shopping in Karak Bazaar, media reports have revealed harassment of women as well as people of the trade and business community.
Certain shopkeepers have confirmed that women were reluctant to visit the shopping centres after the announcement of a ban by civil administration following demands by local ulema, but the district police officer has contradicted the reports pertaining to imposition of ban on women.
A female PTI MPA has termed the reports a misunderstanding spread by the media.
A couple of days ago, a number of ulema from Karak headed by Jamiatul Ulema Islam (F) local leaders Maulana Mirzaqeem and Hafiz Ibne Amin held a meeting and floated the idea of banning women in bazaars without male relatives on grounds of curbing obscenity and other social evils.
Later the ulema rushed to district administration where they asked banning women in bazaars. The news made headlines both in print and electronic media, generating criticism and objections.
As a result, women from all over Karak stopped visiting bazaars, which caused wide-range disappointment among people from trade and business circles and gave fodder to critics to denounce the PTI-led government.
A shopkeeper at Karak main bazaar said, “Women are not coming to bazaars, fearing attacks by militants or people from religious groups.”
However, another shopkeeper in same city said, “Now women accompanied by male relatives are coming for shopping but their strength is limited.
Karak District Police Office Attiqueullah Wazir told Pakistan Today, “Ulema have approached the administration to take steps for combating what they called anti-socio-religious acts during Eid shopping in markets.”
In this respect, the administration has made arrangements for ensuring safety and protection of shoppers and shopkeepers. “There is no ban on women visiting the Karak bazaar,” he said, adding that police contingents had already been deployed in all bazaars for maintaining law and order during Ramadan and Eid shopping days.
PTI Southern Region Women President, MPA Deena Naaz, endorsed the DPO’s statement, adding that the media had reported misleading news.
She said after hearing the news, she personally contacted the Karak deputy commissioner and DPO and requested them to deploy special force and women constables in all bazaars for ensuring due protection to women.