Bannu's only women's park 'completely closed'

Bannu's only women's park 'completely closed'

The only women's park in Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been completely closed since Tuesday. This announcement was made on Tuesday by the Ulama of Bannu district and other people involved with them in a press conference. Ulama said that women should be banned from visiting places of entertainment and shrines.

These scholars said that they have held discussions with the authorities in Bannu Cantonment after which a unanimous decision has been taken to close this ladies park of Bannu completely. There was a protest about this park for the last one week and it was said that obscenity is spreading in the area from this park.

When I contacted the District Police Officer of Bannu, Dr. Muhammad Iqbal, he said that there is no such thing, they are negotiating and this park will not be closed.

Why the sudden protest against the park?

Locals said that on Independence Day i.e. August 14, when everyone was celebrating, a large number of women wearing white burqas reached the only ladies park in the area. People said that there was such a rush that the park was filled inside and there was no room for others to enter and a large number of women had gathered outside the park. Only women are allowed inside this park even children above 10 years of age are not allowed inside.

When the women were standing outside the park, the rest of the people gathered there, which led some people to object that the women's exit was spreading obscenity.

People said that housewives came to the park along with their children and younger siblings and it is very wrong to give the impression of obscenity.

This park is located in the cantonment area of ​​Bannu and its gate was also in the cantonment. Some time ago, on the request of the local administration, a gate of the park was opened towards the urban area so that women from outside the cantonment could also visit the park.

What is the position of local scholars?

Usually women used to come to this park but no one ever had any complaints but on Independence Day when a large number of women reached the park, there were talks about it and then a protest was started.

Most of the local people in this protest were Madrasah students and local scholars, but this protest was not called a protest of any political party. In this protest, scholars said in their speeches that Bannu district has its own traditions and culture and it is not considered proper for women to go out of their houses, so these women should not be allowed to come to the park because this obscenity may spread. .'

When Maulana Naseem Shah, who was involved in the protest, was contacted about this, he said that women should not be allowed to go to places of entertainment and shrines.

He said that 'women coming out of their houses is against the traditions of the area and they cannot allow it.'

When he was told that there are Peshawar Mardan and other districts of the province where women live veiled, but there are parks for women and there is no restriction on their going there, he said, 'Okay. There it will be but they cannot allow it in Bannu.'

What happened in Lucky Marwat?

While people across the country had reached markets and parks to celebrate Independence Day, people had reached the only park in Lakki Marwat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In this joy, some women wearing white burqas came with their children, younger sisters and brothers and sat in the swings.

Some people in the park found this offensive and considered it against their ego, honor. According to them, it is indecent for women to sit in swings even wearing burqa and they have no right to sit in swings with their children or younger sisters and brothers.

In the video, while everyone was criticizing the act of women coming to the park, a young man said, "Are we going to wait for someone?" and he himself, along with a few others, climbs the stairs that lead to the swing. . The young man also kept making videos and badmouthing women and even used abusive language.

The women and the children accompanying them get down in panic and this young man continues to abuse them. The people present on this occasion kept appreciating the act of this young man and kept saying that 'what shame is it that now women will come on the swings, it is indecent and they will not tolerate it in any way.'

A policeman was also present there but no one stopped the young man as to why he was cursing and abusing the women.

Acting on the incident, the district police arrested the man and released a video in which the man regretted what he had done and said that he had made a mistake.

After the arrest and the video, local clerics protested and said that the man did the right thing and that under no circumstances could they allow women to enter the parks.

He said that obscenity spreads when women come to parks and markets. The protest in Lakki Marwat also demanded the closure of the park and ban on women going out of their homes.

What does the government say?

The provincial government has not taken any steps in this regard so far and neither the chief minister nor the concerned ministers have taken any action on it. Therefore, when I contacted the spokesperson of the provincial government, Barrister Saif, he said that this is the problem of the district government and the district administration is there.

He said that the writ of the government is in place if anyone violates the law Action will be taken against him. When asked if women will be allowed to have fun or women will be banned from going to the park, he said, "How can this happen, women will have complete freedom and women can go to parks."

When I contacted District Police Officer Dr Muhammad Iqbal about the Bannu incident, he said that it is not that women are banned from going to parks or the park has been closed, but their funerals are going on and that This matter will be resolved amicably.'

Local people, on the condition of anonymity, said that it is not that the common people want to ban women from going to the park, rather, people are of the opinion that the administration should provide protection and if something bad happens to women, action should be taken against them. who molest or harass women.'