Commissioned short-films from Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy that were relevant to the issues on the table were also screened
Islamabad: “This is the Naya Pakistan for me,” said Barrister Maleeka Ali Bokhari, Parliamentary Secretary, in her introductory note at the President’s Secretariat. The occasion was the commemoration of International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
Observed worldwide on the 25th of November, The Federal Ministry of Law and Justice - in collaboration with The European Union Delegation to Pakistan - hosted a momentous event in Islamabad, screening two-time Academy Award winning filmmaker, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s commissioned short-films relevant to the social issues being discussed.
Bokhari spoke of the importance of highlighting the legislative framework, particularly against honour-based killings and its implementation, or perhaps the lack thereof.
“By empowering women, we can take this country to the next level, which will truly ameliorate the social, political and economic, fabric of society,” noted the Parliamentary Secretary for Law and Justice.
EU Ambassador to Pakistan, Mrs. Androulla Kaminara and Barrister Dr. Muhammad Farogh Naseem, Minister for Law and Justice also made speeches. It was brought to the attendees’ attention that an estimated 1000 women are murdered under the pretext of honour killing in Pakistan each year and this heinous and illegal practice continues to take place despite the enactment of stringent legislations, including the existing honour killing law in 2016, which mandates life imprisonment, heavily influenced by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s Oscar-winning documentary, A Girl in The River.
Mrs. Kaminara also took the opportunity to initiate a campaign with the hashtag, #TimeForRealHonour on social media, hoping to create dialogue against honour killings across the country and to define more informed methods of application of anti-honour killing laws.
To further this conversation through a more visual representation that is in equal parts discomforting as it is educational, SOC Films’ Public Service Message came in the form of a short, narrating the story of a closely knit neighbourhood in a town where the father of a young adolescent girl believes that his daughter has brought dishonour to their family by going to college without his permission.
The second film screened was an animated offering from the ongoing series of shorts, Aagahi — educating women about their legal rights in Pakistan. With an effective voiceover by Aamina Sheikh, this installment in particular called attention to the laws against honour killing as per the federal constitution, and also the repercussions the perpetrator would have to face.
A panel discussion also took place, moderated by Barrister Bokhari and featured Foreign Minister and Vice President PTI Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Additional Inspector General of Police, Punjab Mr. Inam Ghani, Advocate and Executive Director of Asma Jahangir Legal Aid Cell, Ms. Nida Aly, Lawyer and Founder of Digital Rights Foundation, Nighat Dad, along with Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy. The panel brought forth several concerns — Ghani spoke of how women instigate honour killings as well and how deeply rooted misogyny is in our society, whereas Nighat Dad explained online harassment.
When questioned about the role cinema can take in furthering the cause, Sharmeen talked about her mobile-cinema endeavour where a fully-equipped truck travels from village to village providing locals with information about their rights.
Before the session concluded, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, addressing the President, requested the authorities to take action against child pornography, most prevalent in areas like Kasur, adding to which, Ms. Nida Aly demanded better access and resources for lawyers to be able to seek justice for victims.
Exclusively speaking with Instep on the sidelines of the event, Sharmeen spoke of how events like these bridge the government with filmmakers, helping in creating reforms, and later educating women that deal with protection of women against any sort of violence.
“I think it was very important as the members of the cabinet from the current government were there; there were members of the diplomatic core as well along with activists and civil society members and it seemed like it was a concerted effort to find a way forward where women are protected and to understand their legal rights when it comes to fear, intimidation and violence,” she remarked. “As a filmmaker, that’s what I’ve been doing for the better part for the last two decades. The two films we screened today will be put across our mobile cinema and played across the country in the few months to come.”
The honourable President of Pakistan, Dr. Arif Alvi graced the occasion as the Chief Guest and concluded the affair with a heartfelt ode to women who have faced violence. Dr. Alvi spoke about domestic violence and openly added that there is a need for awareness across Pakistan. Stating facts and figures, he added that it is only through recognition of one’s own shortcomings that one can better the country’s current legislative measures and their application.
