It's hard to be a girl !
(Qurat-ul-ain Akram Cheema, Islamabad)
Since she opens her eyes she
doesn’t find her birthday celeberations much fancy . No “ motichoor laddoo”
distributed among the relatives and friends . Often the telephonic calls instead
of greetings come for consolation “ Don’t worry “ Allah will give you a boy
soon”. The father enthausiastically shares his wishes on the birth of a boy but
not for a baby girl ! When the girl grows up she is all the time dictated by her
mother that she has to go the next house , the house of in-laws, so she should
not speak loudly infact she should not speak just whisper , she must learn all
the house chores at the best ,she must not become much educated and long list of
do’s and don’t’s.
The moment she steps into adulthood she is heard by the dialogues “ Found any
proposal for her ”? The year after years she feels as if she is a bundle of
burden on her parents. The moment she steps into late 20’s she is considered
over-age for marriage . To find a good match for her seems the hardest task for
the family criteria is so fixed regarding the specific caste, age ,degree etc.
If she is found standing somewhere talking to a boy nobody would think
positively,they would just put allegations on her even if she is the right path
to the blind passer-by. At the time of her marriage , the so called Islamic
families ,will forget to seek her consent and will force her to be a bride of
whosoever they wish. She has to take huge dowry , a good degree , beautiful
looks along her for a better settlement after marriage. Even then she has to
stitch her lips on every cruelty and pain given to her by inlaws. She cannot
return home in case of no settlement in inlaws for the husband’s house is
considered her final destination. Often she is burnt by the mother-in-law and
becomes the headline of the news that’s the only protocol to her that her news
is valued. If she wears fashionable dresses to get good match, her relatives
will oppose her . If she covers herself islamically no good match id offered to
her. If she becomes the airhostess, nurse or receptionist she is not valued, She
is always expected to be on mute mode like a dummy !
In the present era, she not only has to do house chores but be much efficient in
professional field as well. To do an ourdoor job is also a compulsion for her .
If she doesn’t have a brother she has to become the son and earn for the family.
In case of divorce . or widow she is looked down by the society . She may face a
divorce if not giving birth to a son. Our society treats her so cruely !
The heart bleeds at the sight of all this. Had she been given a chance , she
would have born boy .