Here’s what’s happening across the border: Cricket champ Sana Mir didn’t let the obstacles deter her; Malala to receive Harvard leadership award next month.
Protests against Asia Bibi verdict paralyse cities across Pakistan
Supporters of Islamic political party Tehreek-e-Labbaik (TLP) came out in large numbers in several cities in Pakistan to protest against the Supreme Court’s verdict acquitting Asia Bibi of all blasphemy charges, reports The News International.
Religious leaders have denounced the Supreme Court verdict calling it a violation of the country’s Constitution and have demanded Asia Bibi’s name to be put on the no-fly list so that she can’t be sent to any Western country.
In cities such as Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, the protesters blocked roads, causing massive traffic congestions at several points. However, Section 144 has been imposed from 31 October to 10 November in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces with the exception of a gathering that does not comprise more than four people in public places.
Founder and chief of TLP Khadim Hussain Rizvi led the protests in Lahore in areas close to the Punjab Assembly.
Imran Khan condemns protests against top court’s verdict
Prime Minister Imran Khan Wednesday strongly condemned the protests and agitations by religious-political groups against the Supreme Court’s verdict to free Asia Bibi and warned them not to clash with the state, reports Dawn.
In a short video message for the country, Imran Khan expressed how he was “compelled” to address his nation because a “small segment” was using an objectionable language provoking people to attack Supreme Court judges and army generals.
“The kind of language used today… and the narrative that there should be opposition against the judiciary… It is my belief that the principles on which Pakistan was founded, if they are not adhered to, Pakistan has no future,” Khan was quoted as saying.
Watch Prime Minister of Islamic Republic of Pakistan Imran Khan’s full address to the nation, October 31st, 2018.
Link: https://t.co/JRL1EBNVMP#SupremeCourt #AasiaBibiVerdict
— Govt of Pakistan (@pid_gov) October 31, 2018
The PM, in an unsparing tone, warned protesters to not disrupt the lives of ordinary people by blocking traffic and declared that his government will not “allow any vandalism” as “the state will fulfill its duty and protect people’s properties and lives”.
Cricket champ Sana Mir defied societal norms to achieve milestone
Pakistani cricketer Sana Mir was recently ranked number one ODI bowler by International Cricket Council, but her accomplishments have not come easily, writes Fazeela Saba in The Express Tribune.
Saba dubbed Mir’s achievements not only “impressive” but also “difficult” arguing that unlike other countries, women and girls in Pakistan do not have access to adequate resources such as proper grounds and other facilities that could enable these girls to sharpen “their skills from an early age”.
She also mentions another difficulty that stands in the way of encouraging girls to excel in sports — “gender biases and socio-cultural norms” in Pakistan’s patriarchal society. She says that not many people are cognisant of what it has taken for Mir to come to this position where she is today.
She goes on to say that lack of social media coverage in those days and limited international tournaments gave little exposure to Mir and other women cricketers.
Highlighting a particular phase in Mir’s professional career where the country’s media “was pushing Pakistan Cricket Board” to remove her from the captain’s post after their debacle in the World Cup championship 2017, Saba says that although she resigned, Mir came out much stronger in the next tournaments.
Najam Sethi, ex-PCB chairman, took to Twitter recently to support Mir.
Proud of Sana Mir! She gave up Captaincy to focus on her game. Proud of our boys in green too. They have true grit.
— Najam Sethi (@najamsethi) October 25, 2018
Mir also tweeted a verse from Quran to describe her struggle.
Indeed ! pic.twitter.com/k0BOnPYiDj
— Sana Mir ثناء میر (@mir_sana05) October 26, 2018
Malala Yousafzai to receive Harvard leadership award
Youngest Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai will be given the 2018 Gleitsman Award from the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard Kennedy School at a public ceremony to be held on 6 December, The News International reports.
Malala has been selected for this award for initiating a global movement to enable girls to have access to 12 years of free and quality education.
David Gergen, professor of public service at Harvard Kennedy School, said, “Malala speaks powerfully to the strength and perseverance of women and girls who are oppressed”.
“[She] has activated a generation of practitioners and legislators who are fighting for equality in their own communities,” he added.