Aurat March 2022 – March for the Noors Among Us

Between Aurat March 2021 and Aurat March 2022, a young girl from an affluent family was held hostage, tortured, raped and be-headed by a man from an educated and affluent family; a man known to her, belonging to a family known to her and her family. For seven long months, her aggrieved family fought tooth and nail to get her justice. In death.

Do you know what that means?

It means plunging head-on into a socio-justice system that is strongly biased against and needlessly cruel towards women. It means hearing the most despicable things about your deceased daughter, sister, cousin, niece, friend. It means defending her character while you fight to put the man who murdered her behind bars. It means seeing his face again and again. It means imagining what he did to her again and again. It means wanting to kill him with your bare hands right there and then, but instead being subjected to long wait times, delays and excuses.

It is ironic that this matter has come to a tentative close days before Women’s Day 2022, days before women from all over Pakistan will march for their rights. Most of these women have next to nothing in common with Noor Mukadam. Many of them come from less privileged backgrounds, have little or no education and often do not have the support of their families, let alone access and funds for lawyers and courts. What they do have in common however, is that they like Noor, are victims of the patriarchy that shrouds the existence of women in Pakistan – irrespective of affluence, education and appearance. The patriarchy that allows men to keep their daughters, wives and sisters at home by force. That lauds men for keeping their women “in check”. That compels men to clap each other on the back and exchange smirks when they have “tamed their woman”. That encourages both men and women to become enablers in its transmission.

For be not ignorant, patriarchy is a concept, a way of life, a system that is propagated and given life by both men and women in society.

Noor with all her education, awareness and lifestyle could not defend herself against her perpetrator, so how do we expect the vast majority of women in Pakistan to fight for their rights? Women who live in much more restricted mindsets and environments than she did. Noor could not fight against the pure animal bestiality that Zahir Jaffer came at her with because it wasn’t simply masculine strength and knuckle dusters she had to protect herself from.

She was fighting a mindset.

I know that sounds unconvincing when you imagine her cornered in a room or trying to flee the house but hear me out. She was fighting against the mindset of power, influence and misogyny. The house help that abetted Zahir Jaffer in the murder were not only weighed down by the monetary power their ‘master’ wielded over them but most likely also by their own warped understanding of women and how women should be “handled” by men. The understanding that tells them:

If a man is holding her against her will, it is her “fault” for being too friendly with him.

If a man is harming her physically, she probably “asked” for it.

If a man is killing her, she “deserved” it.

She was fighting a mindset.

The mindset that kept Zahir Jaffer’s parents from coming clean in their social circle about their son’s violent tendencies. The mindset that compelled them to protect him (and their name) to the bitter end.

She was fighting a mindset.

The mindset that makes people avert their eyes and shield their ears in the face of violence against women, even though the same eyes and ears are always on alert when it comes to poking their noses in other people’s business. The CCTV footage clearly showed Noor trying to escape, looking visibly scared and undone. Someone must have seen the scuttle between her and Zahir Jaffer; someone must have heard their voices because the actions depicted in the footage could surely not have been done in silence. And yet, no one came to her assistance. No one called the police.

Because it was their “ghar ka maamla” (family matter).

Because it involved an influential family.

And yet, in the face of a broken judicial system, in the face of never-ending excuses and dramatics, in the face of changing pleas, Noor has won. Albeit in death, but she has won. Her father, an absolutely courageous man, has made sure of that.

May no father have to go through even an inch of what this exemplary man has gone through in the last seven months. But in doing this great act of service to his deceased daughter, he has given hope to women in this country.

Moreover, he has taught some hard lessons to the men of this country, should they choose to learn from them. He has shown what a strong father can do for his daughter, even in death. He has shown what belief in one’s daughter means. In a country where daughters are asked to be patient and carry on in the face of emotional, verbal and/or physical abuse, he has shown fathers that it is NEVER acceptable to be abusive or let someone abuse their own. It is NEVER acceptable to think of a woman in your life as a punching bag – be it your mother, wife, sister, daughter or friend.

His unrelenting pursuit to get Noor justice has revealed the dark ugliness that permeates our society on multiple levels. Not only has this seven-month long ordeal unveiled the incompetence of the police and regulatory systems because despite the matter being brought to a close in a relatively short period of time considering our history of investigative and court procedures, the inadequacies of DNA testing, crime scene investigation, background checks, phone and CCTV evidence were still painfully apparent all along. However in addition to these vices, this particular case has heralded the evils of substance abuse, elitism, misogyny, mental health and the importance of keeping face especially for the elites of this society, to the front and centre.

Noor is gone, never to come back. The void in her family will never be filled. The death penalty given to her murderer (even if actualized) will not bring them peace. But in Noor’s fight, in her father’s struggle, may we all see ourselves, our flaws and our imbalances.

May we protect us and ours.

May we be just, impartial and unbiased, even at the expense of ourselves and our loved ones.

May we raise our sons and daughters with equality.

May we celebrate our sons and daughters equally.

May we teach both, our sons and daughters patience, resilience and respect.

May we teach both, our sons and daughters the importance of consent.

May we be the “Noor” for ourselves and others. May we light the path to a better society, a better world.

May we not forget Noor Mukadam.

May there never be another Noor Mukadam.

May we truly understand why women are compelled to march.

May we march with them and for them.

And maybe one day…one day…we will not need to have an Aurat March.

This blog was published in Express Tribune Blogs: https://tribune.com.pk/article/97550/aurat-march-2022-march-for-the-noors-among-us?fbclid=IwAR2MFtRyryQ-yy7opGxhxe17u_XY4q_gFw7_d0adxhd7KhPHpPsuH2CSDC8

The Murree Tragedy – Another Bandage for a Broken System

A few years ago, a relative told me that the difference between Pakistan and the western world is a lack of ‘personal responsibility’. Having left Pakistan at a very young age and having lived in the US for most of his life, his statement I believe, stemmed from looking at American citizens doing everything on their own – working long hours, running the house including cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, running errands, doing grocery, helping their children with schoolwork, paying their taxes – with little or no help and with little or no complaint; as compared to an average Pakistani family which has help either in the form of domestic staff or many family members living in large households, and yet there is an almost constant barrage of complaints accompanied with a relatively low sense of personal responsibility.

A younger me at the time understood and agreed with much of what he said. I could see how he saw us with all the help we have at our disposal and yet, complaining profusely, often and paradoxically, about that very help. When to him, it seemed like our western counterparts did so much more without grumbling, simply because they are equipped with a stronger sense of personal responsibility.

However, as I grow older and see life unraveling before my eyes and assess the increasingly crippling problems that plague our society, I realize that his statement was largely uninformed and shallow, although not entirely incorrect. Yes, we are conditioned to exist amidst the support of people, making us co-dependent and perhaps, less “personally responsible”. Nevertheless, a major factor behind this co-dependency is the lack of basic infrastructure and facilities at the disposal of each individual. A person in a western country, for instance, is equipped with an uninterrupted supply of electricity, power and gas; has appliances for all tasks from meagre household ones to those used in businesses, governments and factories. For the most part, they have strong road networks, regularly maintained roads and sewerage systems, and planned housing. We all know what we have in comparison. We are increasingly becoming self-reliant for everything, whether it is through personal generators, the ‘kunda’ system, gas cylinders, solar panels and water tankers. Let’s not even discuss the appalling state of our roads and sewerage systems.

Which brings me to the recent tragedy in Murree. Having moved to Canada very recently, this heartbreaking incident with people and their cars buried in snow, entire families possibly dying from suffocation hits very close to home, as I sit here staring at the snow falling outside. Since it started snowing here earlier this month, I have seen snow movers and cleaners do their rounds at all hours of the day; cleaning the roads, the parking lots and the walking paths in the parks. There are vehicles of all sizes depending on what area needs to be cleaned. They are equipped with a closed cab for the driver to keep him protected from the harsh cold and snow, have a light to let people know that there are work vehicles in the area and are often accompanied by an additional vehicle with a sign to let people know that cleaners and movers are working in the area. These additional measures are taken because when it snows hard, especially accompanied by strong winds, visibility is often drastically reduced, and it is essential to use signs and lights to alert people and vehicles around. I have seen these workers arrive even as late as 1 a.m. when it snows hard at night, and they seem to have a fixed schedule and routine. Imagine being all alone out in the cold, doing something as monotonous as driving your vehicle round and round a parking lot, stopping to unload the snow you have collected in a pile and doing this for a good 20-30 minutes before moving on to the next area. It is tedious to say the least, and I cannot imagine many in Pakistan who would do this without complaining.

However, the difference is not simply in mindsets and conditioning that “a lack of personal responsibility” seems to imply. It is in the resources, support and compensation given to these workers here in Canada. A snowplow driver can earn around $50,000 per year, which may not be too much but can enable him to lead a decent life. His profession is considered a respectable one, contrary to how it may be perceived in Pakistan. These workers are trained and given safety equipment and machinery which is maintained regularly. On the other hand, what I saw after the tragedy in Murree was news coverage of civilians and military workers shoveling away piles of snow mostly with sticks and shovels. Yes, they had some equipment and vehicles but surely not sufficient for a task of those proportions. Not only is clearing the snow manually slow and tedious work which means longer rescue time and hence, lower likelihood of taking people out of vehicles alive; it is also tough on the people shoveling and clearing the snow and can cause heart and respiratory problems. The infrastructure was and is clearly not prepared for the prospective tourism the government seems to have been touting so proudly.

A snowplower clearing snow at night in Canada. Source: https://globalnews.ca

I am sure after yesterday’s tragedy many of you must have heard about carbon monoxide poisoning, which happens when the car engine is left running for a long time with the exhaust pipe submerged under the snow. This blockage causes the gas to collect and permeate the inside of the car and since it is an odorless gas, it goes largely undetected and can cause people to suffocate and die in less than 2 hours. It does not sting your eyes or make you feel respiratory unease so there is hardly any way of knowing that you are surrounded by the gas, usually until it is too late.

I ask you, how many of the poor victims trapped in their cars knew this fact?

Which brings me to another aspect of government support and awareness painfully absent in Pakistan. Most people drive in Pakistan without passing their driving test and going through the handbook of rules and regulations, primarily because those rules are not followed on the roads. I have no idea if we even have driving rules for winter in the handbook, particularly for areas which do get snow. Here, one cannot pass the knowledge test without knowing all the rules and this includes details of keeping your exhaust pipe clear of snow to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, clearing the exhaust pipe before starting the engine and avoiding running the engine in closed spaces like indoor parking and garages. It is illegal to drive in winter here without snow tires – made specifically to drive safely on snow and even ice clad roads to prevent skidding and accidents. Survivors and witnesses from the Murree disaster are now reporting how people stuck in the snow were charged exorbitant prices by the locals when buying chains to improve the grip on their tires as well as for basic commodities like water and bread. For a benevolent nation, such acts point to bigger problems; perhaps, the locals’ resentment at not benefiting from the revenue generated through tourism or even having their home used and abused by tourists because we all know the civic sense our people possess – from leaving used diapers in public places to littering to being unnecessarily rambunctious and disrespectful.    

So, when the government talks of enhancing tourism and when the military is praised for the relief efforts (which it should be because there is no one else to do the job), it boils my blood because once again the government has failed to provide the basics to its citizens while planning ventures that will likely fill pockets that are already overflowing. I am in no way blaming this particular government because honestly, it is working in the worst conditions imaginable – a global pandemic and the resultant economic collapse. I am saying, however, that all our governments have been responsible for the gross negligence of our citizens and for repeated and largely avoidable human tragedies due to lack of infrastructural investment and support as well as educating civilians.

So, then do we lack personal responsibility because of the absence of government regulations and support? As a nation, we lack discipline, self-control and we blatantly rebuke regulations. We rely more on hearsay and “XYZ did it and there was no problem” kind of thinking rather than following giving guidelines and basic common sense. It is this precise thought process which prevented these tourists from following weather warnings including the possibility of road closures given by the meteorological department before the weekend arrived. However, saying that people in Pakistan lack personal responsibility is a statement given from a position of privilege. When the state creates laws and regulation and when the state implements those laws, that is when civilians have no choice but to follow. If the highway had been closed, so many would not have been enroute to Murree. Having to rescue people from more than 100,000 vehicles is no joke and that too in harsh weather conditions, and it could have been avoided with better management.

I have always heard that a nation’s leaders are the reflection of its people, and this is so true for us Pakistanis. We are impulsive and irrational and while this makes us big of heart, compassionate and generous, it also deprives us of using our common sense. It deprives us of using reason and logic and the painful result is tragedies like the one in Murree. And then, rather than learning from our mistakes and making ourselves more aware and better equipped, both on the government level as well as the community and individual level, we become involved in the blame game. We are, unfortunately, a nation adept at putting on bandages and clearing arteries while being painfully incompetent in changing our lifestyles, questioning the status quo and overhauling the system. And the system is not merely the one set up on the macro level. We need to overhaul our individual systems, fix our own personal and family issues, scrutinize our own faults and find our way forward. Personal responsibility, although the obligation of each individual, is a top-down approach. Those governing us must ensure they are personally responsible before expecting and compelling the same from each citizen. 

Otherwise, tragedies like Murree will keep happening.

And we will eventually run out of bandages. Or citizens.  

Why did Abrarul Haq become a singer if his mother recited the ‘kalma’ to him? Double standards much?

You might (or might not, if you’re anything like me) be aware that Prime Minister Imran Khan recently gave a review of PTI’s performance thus far at the Jinnah Convention Centre in Islamabad. And while that didn’t really make its way on my radar, I did see social media posts about Abrarul Haq’s “hilarity” at the event.

Why the double quotes you may wonder. Well, because I didn’t find anything hilarious about his comments. At all. My sense of humor has taken a nosedive it seems when it comes to Pakistani men opening their mouths (especially when Pakistani women seem to join them in their laughter and gaiety).

So, if you haven’t yet been exposed to this blatant act of nonsensical condescension that he subjected Pakistani mothers to, let me be the first to show you what he said.

https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpakistandialogue%2Fvideos%2F953350411903942%2F&show_text=false&width=476&t=0

Honestly it isn’t just what he said; it is also when and where he said it, as well as the reaction of his audience that is deeply disturbing. I mean, if this was supposed to be a formal not to mention official event to review the current government’s performance so far, what need was there for a comment such as this? And that too in an inappropriate and uncouth manner. And the cherry on top was the shaking bellies and loud cackles of the people we look to for governing us.

While it is a fact that mom blaming and shaming is a national past time in Pakistan, nay, even internationally but we Pakistanis take special pride in shaming the next generation of mothers for how they feed, teach, discipline and raise their children with complete disregard for the inadequacies (ironically often a result of poor parenting) found in the sons handed over to them as life partners.

All mums in Pakistan, irrespective of socioeconomic class, are subject to this barrage of criticism in some form or the other. But to have it done at a political event is possibly a first.

Where are we headed, I wonder?

And if Abrarul Haq’s mother recited the kalma to her ‘kaka’, how and why did he turn into a singer? Oh and BEFORE people come to his defense to say,

“Oh but religion is personal…”

“Who are we to judge?”

“How do we know his moral compass is affected by his music?”….

That’s what I’m saying….why don’t we use the same arguments for women/mothers? Why the hypocrisy?

Isn’t it utterly baseless, absurd and unnecessary?

This is what they mean when they say rape culture encourages rapists. It is not the act of rape itself. It is all the seemingly ‘minor’ acts that lead up to it like catcalling, gaping at women to make them hold down their shirts and wrap their dupattas more tightly around themselves, not giving them room to pass comfortably on a sidewalk and more. Similarly, this culture of shaming women, blaming women, ridiculing and undermining women in every sphere of life is what keeps our society from growing, progressing and succeeding. And it encourages men (and women) to keep doing the same to generation after generation of women.

To generation after generation of mothers.

So, please Abrarul Haq (and anyone who found his comment funny) stop. You hold (or should hold) a position of respect in society.

Stop dumbing down our people.

Stop giving in to misogyny.

Stop ridiculing women in the name of humor.

Stop making religion seem like it is only meant for women.

Stop blaming the female gender for everything.

Boys, men and fathers have an equal role in society too. Although honestly many men of our society including Abrarul Haq display characteristics which have been ironically associated with women for years….gossip, being nosy and causing unnecessary problems. While many, many women of our society – belonging to all socioeconomic classes – actually do much much more than their male counterparts; from being breadwinners to rearing children to managing households to maintaining social responsibilities.

But no, let’s gather political leaders, parliamentarians and members of the national assembly and shame mothers.

#AbrarUlHaq#fathershavearoletoo#stopshamingmothers#saynotomomshaming#noteverythingisawomansfault

The mums are having a hard time

The mums are having a hard time.

There…I said it.

The mums are having a HARD TIME.

It doesn’t matter if she is a working mum or a stay-at-home-mum.

It doesn’t matter if she is young or old.

It doesn’t matter if she is rich or poor.

It doesn’t matter if she is single or married.

It doesn’t matter if she is the mother of 1 or 5.

This year has been HARD on mums. All mums.

Yes, it has been hard on everyone. Mums, dads, children, grandparents, employees, businesses, the rich, the poor. But the mums are possibly, having the hardest time.

They are struggling.

They are in way over their heads.

They are serving as mums, employees, chefs, cleaners, washing machines, teachers, tutors, IT troubleshooters, playmates, drivers, therapists and more. They fret over overworked partners, ageing parents and sick children. They act as social health workers, repeatedly educating their domestic help about the virus and keeping an eye on their health and implementation of SOPs. And they do these duties simultaneously, jumping from washing the dishes to giving hugs and kisses, to switching off the stove before dinner gets burnt. All the while, keeping an eye on the gadget’s battery, their hyper little boy’s stunts and antics and their teenage daughter who might have fallen asleep AGAIN during class.

They are in way over their heads. 

They are on their toes all day. Every day.

Their minds are working around the clock.

“Has the homework been uploaded?  Is the laptop charged for tomorrow? Did I print the worksheets out? Does the generator have fuel? How much time do I have till my deadline? What time do I schedule my meeting? How do I keep my kids occupied while I attend it? Do we have enough sanitizer? The supermarkets will close at 6 pm. What about grocery? Do I need to get anything for dinner? Did my parents take an appointment with the doctor for their regular check-up? It’s a hospital setting…I hope they are cautious.”

They are working in over-drive and there is no end in sight. Their cups are empty but they trudge along. On 4-5 hours of sleep. Because you know…the only time they get to themselves is at night when everyone is asleep. When the house is quiet. When they can finally TRY to switch their overworked minds off. And they know they will pay for it the next day.

But they have to stay up to maintain some sanity. Whatever that means…  

So, if you are a partner, a parent, a child, a friend, a colleague, a neighbor…check in with the “mums” in your life.

• Call them and talk about anything under the sun. (Maybe skip COVID related topics sometimes…)
• Send over some food…even junk for the kids would help for the endless “Can I have a snaaaaaack????”
• Drop off some flowers or dessert or coffee…or better yet, ALL of those!  
• Meet them for a walk. (KEEP YOUR MASKS ON!)

And if you are a partner, help her in any way you can. Clean up, wash the dishes, cook dinner, do the grocery, play with the kids…(ideally OUTSIDE the house, so she can get some time to herself without the constant banter and the incessant demands. So, she can have some semblance of peace and quiet. The kind she got when the husband and kids went off to work and school. The kind she got when SHE dressed up and went to work…WITHOUT a kid in tow.

Remember those days?

Listen to her.

Tell her she’s doing an amazing job.

Look at her.

Tell her she looks great.

Fill her cup. Because she is running on Empty.

And if you are a mum, give yourself some grace. Give yourself some love.

You can’t do it all. You want to, I know, but you CAN’T.

The house will be messy. The homework might not be uploaded on time….or even DONE on time. The sink will never be empty. You might burn the food. Not once, but again. And again.

Give yourself some love.

Lock yourself in your room when you are feeling overwhelmed. Even 5 minutes will help.

Don’t look at the pile of dishes for 10 minutes and brew yourself a nice, hot mug of coffee instead. And drink it WHILE it is piping hot. I did this today and OMG…it felt awesome! I felt awesome!

Ignore your kids a while. As long as they are safe and have had something to eat at some point during the day, they’ll be okay. I promise.

Journal.

Cry.

Step out of the house. If you have nowhere to go or no WAY to go anywhere, just quietly step out of your house and stand outside the door for 5 minutes. 

Smell a flower.

Look at old pictures. Memories of happier, easier times. Say a prayer that we all have those back soon.

Pray, meditate, breathe. And breathe again. And again. Deep, belly breaths…not those shallow ones you’ve been taking just to stay afloat.  

Take a hot shower. Feel those tense muscles unclench under the steaming, hot water.

Drink a glass of water and savour it. Have a cup of tea and savour it. Take a bite of food and savour it.

Fill your cup, fellow mum. You deserve it.

The ‘boxed’ mentality behind Lahore International Airport’s ‘Breastfeeding Box’

Have you ever seen a cubicle labelled Praying/Namaz ‘Box’ in an airport? Or for that matter, a ‘Bathroom Box’? An ‘Eating Box’? I’m guessing your answer will be ‘No’. Most public places in Pakistan and other countries have designated spaces for these activities and they are pleasantly referred to as Prayer Room/Area or Masjid/Mosque, Restroom/Washroom and Café/Restaurant. Because that’s what they are – spaces, areas and/or rooms.

Then WHY did the CAA feel the need to install a portable cabin at the Lahore Airport, where mothers can supposedly nurse their babies in privacy and call it a ‘Breastfeeding Box’?

I can’t even….

But I will try. Because someone needs to say it. And someone needs to address all the people gaily commenting on these posts, both the supporters and the naysayers. So here goes…

A box.

They called it a box. Let that sink in.

It LOOKS like a box. Let that sink in even deeper.

I mean, how hard was it to designate a room for mothers to nurse their young ones comfortably? Clearly very hard. But it was so much easier to design a BOX and paint it bright pink to attract EVERYONE’S attention, right? And to make matters worse, label it ‘Breastfeeding Box’.

There are so many things wrong with this box, figuratively and literally. For starters, our society likes to compartmentalize people in general and women in particular, into categories.

“She wears sleeveless” equates “She doesn’t say namaz”.

“She works outside the house” equals “She doesn’t give her family time”.

“She filed for a khula” becomes “She doesn’t understand the obligations of marital life”.

And so on.

Boxes. Boxes. Boxes.

Like we are all clones who lead identical lives.

We have a habit of never looking into the context of a situation, especially where women are concerned and an even worse habit of jumping to (usually) the wrong conclusions. Oh, and an EVEN worse habit of standing by those assumptions like our lives depend on it.

This breastfeeding box is a reflection of all those, pun absolutely intended, boxed mindsets.

To many social media sharers and commenters, this box seems harmless at best and an applaudable effort by the CAA at worst. After all, nursing mothers can now nurse in private. What more could they want? Ahem…any kind of privacy is lost when you paint an oddly-shaped container hot pink and label it ‘Breastfeeding Box’. All those men who look at women nursing their babies as if they are dancing naked in the streets have now been given a reason to look MORE, not less. To stare. To virtually strip naked all these poor women with their x-ray vision.

And then there is the branding on the box. Breastfeeding. Many a social media warrior have come out to protest that there is nothing wrong with the term breastfeeding. It is a natural process to feed helpless little humans. And they are right.

But the context? Not so much.

The word ‘breast’ evokes all kinds of images in men in general and Pakistani men in particular; most of them being of a sexual, sensual, wanton, unscrupulous and promiscuous woman. So, rest assured when you print ‘Breastfeeding Box’ on a pink dabba and put it in an international airport of one of the largest cities of the country, there will be many things about women’s breasts running through a man’s mind and none of them will have anything to do with helping a helpless little human survive.

And then of course, there are those who say that this is the first step. Things will get better. Again, another example of a flawed system and culture. The wait-and-see approach.

“Mother, my husband isn’t a good man. He uses foul language and is abusive.”

“Don’t be so hasty. It will get better with time.”

After years of emotional, mental, physical or God Forbid all kinds of abuse, the poor daughter returns to her parents’ house, kids in tow.

Marriage is but one example. As a society, we like to take things as they come without doing proper research and gaining insight. We build buildings without investing in good foundations. We build roads without ensuring proper drainage. We produce children without investing in parenting skills.

Because it will get better. Like there’s a magic wand which will appear out of nowhere to make improvements without any effort on our part.

But I digress.

A simple consumer survey would have helped the CAA understand their market – the nursing mums they are catering to. With basic questions such as where they would like the space to be located in the airport, what color schemes, facilities (changing table, wash basin, diaper pail, an area for slightly older kids so they can stay with the mother if need be, and so forth) and furniture they would prefer and what they would like it to be called (mother’s room, nursing room). On the other hand, the CAA could have also done a tour of public places where nursing facilities are currently available for mothers, such as malls and gained some insight. Dolmen Mall in Clifton, Karachi, had decent facilities the last time I checked. Even if they had interrogated their own staff and crew, they would have gained some know-how into how nursing facilities are managed internationally.

Needless to say, had they picked even one of these methods to actually understand their customers, they would not have installed a bright pink ‘Breastfeeding Box’ in the middle of  Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore.