ID :
11997
Thu, 07/10/2008 - 10:32
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/11997
The shortlink copeid
PML-Q expels woman member for criticising party leadership
Islamabad, Jul 10 (PTI) Pakistan's opposition P.M.L.-Q.
has expelled one of its most vocal woman members for violatingparty discipline by repeatedly criticising its leadership.
Kashmala Tariq, who was elected to National Assembly or lower house of Parliament on a reserved seat, was expelled by party chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain for her statementsagainst the party leadership.
P.M.L.-Q. spokesperson Tariq Azeem said Kashmala's party membership had been cancelled "due to violation of party discipline". He said several notices were served to restricther from criticising the party, but she did not pay heed.
Kashmala's verbal duel with P.M.L.-Q. Parliamentary leader in National Assembly, Faisal Saleh Hayat, seemed to bethe last straw.
"She indulged in targeting Faisal Saleh Hayat...if she had any objection it should come into notice of the party," the spokesperson said, adding she was trying to create a riftin the party by making groups.
A formal notice was issued to Kashmala in this regard Tuesday and the P.M.L.-Q. chief has summoned a centralexecutive meeting in Islamabad on July 12.
The articulate and fiery Kashmala had often said that women were at a disadvantaged position in the NationalAssembly and that men were not "pro-women".
"They don't like people like me who come from the middle class and who have been empowered to raise our voices. How can they accept you and me sitting in the assembly and talking about our rights? The faces have changed but the mentality is the same as it was some two decades ago," she said in aninterview during her last stint in Parliament.
"They (men) talk about us behind our backs. They will try to pull you down at every opportunity they get," saidKashmala, who studied Law at London School of Economics.
"We don't have democracy even within our parties, whether it's the P.P.P. or the P.M.L., because men do not listen toyou, they don't give you any weightage," Kashmala said.
She worked on a report on the Hudood Ordinance, the controversial law used in rape cases and honour killings in her last term and was also critical of women who cannot standup for their rights.
"Women who are vocal, who raise their voice for theirrights...they only want to use them for their own benefit.
Women who say 'yes' to them are acceptable, but those who tendto disagree or raise some critical issues, are not," she said.
Sociologist Afiya Shehrbano calls women parliamentarians the "B-team" and believes Pakistan's patriarchal politicscannot accommodate women leaders.
"These surrogate leaders represent the role of women in contemporary politics, where they increasingly seem to be playing as the 'B' team for male political leaders." According to a report by 'The Researchers', an N.G.O., 70 percent of women who have made it to Parliament in the February 18 polls belong to political houses and are replacements for male family members who could not contest forsome reason.
Those who made it on a reserved seat too are women from prominent political or non-political families. Of the 342 members in Parliament, 75 are women – though only 15 got in ona general ticket. The remaining 60 came in on reserved seats.
Since women lawmakers are usually "replacements", it is no surprise that 80 per cent of those who do make it toParliament never speak a word.
With conservative elements from hardline religious parties falling by the wayside in the last general election, the number of burqa-wearing women lawmakers has dwindled from the previous Parliament's six to zero – but the changes in women's appearance seem just cosmetic. PTI
has expelled one of its most vocal woman members for violatingparty discipline by repeatedly criticising its leadership.
Kashmala Tariq, who was elected to National Assembly or lower house of Parliament on a reserved seat, was expelled by party chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain for her statementsagainst the party leadership.
P.M.L.-Q. spokesperson Tariq Azeem said Kashmala's party membership had been cancelled "due to violation of party discipline". He said several notices were served to restricther from criticising the party, but she did not pay heed.
Kashmala's verbal duel with P.M.L.-Q. Parliamentary leader in National Assembly, Faisal Saleh Hayat, seemed to bethe last straw.
"She indulged in targeting Faisal Saleh Hayat...if she had any objection it should come into notice of the party," the spokesperson said, adding she was trying to create a riftin the party by making groups.
A formal notice was issued to Kashmala in this regard Tuesday and the P.M.L.-Q. chief has summoned a centralexecutive meeting in Islamabad on July 12.
The articulate and fiery Kashmala had often said that women were at a disadvantaged position in the NationalAssembly and that men were not "pro-women".
"They don't like people like me who come from the middle class and who have been empowered to raise our voices. How can they accept you and me sitting in the assembly and talking about our rights? The faces have changed but the mentality is the same as it was some two decades ago," she said in aninterview during her last stint in Parliament.
"They (men) talk about us behind our backs. They will try to pull you down at every opportunity they get," saidKashmala, who studied Law at London School of Economics.
"We don't have democracy even within our parties, whether it's the P.P.P. or the P.M.L., because men do not listen toyou, they don't give you any weightage," Kashmala said.
She worked on a report on the Hudood Ordinance, the controversial law used in rape cases and honour killings in her last term and was also critical of women who cannot standup for their rights.
"Women who are vocal, who raise their voice for theirrights...they only want to use them for their own benefit.
Women who say 'yes' to them are acceptable, but those who tendto disagree or raise some critical issues, are not," she said.
Sociologist Afiya Shehrbano calls women parliamentarians the "B-team" and believes Pakistan's patriarchal politicscannot accommodate women leaders.
"These surrogate leaders represent the role of women in contemporary politics, where they increasingly seem to be playing as the 'B' team for male political leaders." According to a report by 'The Researchers', an N.G.O., 70 percent of women who have made it to Parliament in the February 18 polls belong to political houses and are replacements for male family members who could not contest forsome reason.
Those who made it on a reserved seat too are women from prominent political or non-political families. Of the 342 members in Parliament, 75 are women – though only 15 got in ona general ticket. The remaining 60 came in on reserved seats.
Since women lawmakers are usually "replacements", it is no surprise that 80 per cent of those who do make it toParliament never speak a word.
With conservative elements from hardline religious parties falling by the wayside in the last general election, the number of burqa-wearing women lawmakers has dwindled from the previous Parliament's six to zero – but the changes in women's appearance seem just cosmetic. PTI
