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Lahore Motorway Incident: #MeraJismMeriMarzi Makes Its Way Back To Twitter As Women Demand Safety

Manaal Khurram

The events of Wednesday night have led to a bitter taste in the mouths of Pakistanis who still cannot digest the horrific acts conducted by two armed men. The rape of a Gujranwala-based woman in front of her children on the Lahore-Sialkot motorway has shocked the entire nation and triggered a debate on social media regarding how to put an end to such disgusting and heinous crimes that keep taking place from time to time. While many Pakistani celebrities, activists and internet users came forward to condemn the incident and rooted for a #HangRapistsPolicy, the hashtag #MeraJismMeriMarzi has found its way back to Twitter as women demand a safer country for themselves – one where their bodies, voices and rights are protected.  

 

 

 

The micro-blogging site has seen an influx of different viewpoints and mixed emotions on the part of social media users ever since the dreadful occurrence. Posts filled with rage, hate, rebellion and fear are filling up our Twitter since yesterday, for all the right reasons. Its time to speak up now! Women have also called out some ignorant men for their insensitive remarks and urged them to stay mum on the subject. One such post read, “To the boys half my age tweeting security tips for women. I’m not going to stop driving alone at night. And I’m not going to stop running alone in public places. I’m not going to shrink myself and my freedom. I’m just going to be a lot angrier and louder at the next Aurat March,” tweeted journalist Sahar Habib Ghazi. Some also stressed on the importance of social media to convey powerful messages. In today’s age, social media is a very powerful tool. Please use this to show anger and pressurise our government to pass relevant rape laws. Together we can do it. #MeraJismMeriMarzi.” 

 

 

 

 

Aurat Azaadi March – an organization which stands for economic, reproductive, political and social justice – posted about how women are not objects and must not be exploited. “Women’s bodies are not property of men, family, nation and society. Our bodies only belong to us and public spaces should belong to us! #MeraJismMeriMarzi precisely talks about THIS exploitation of our bodies where any man feels entitled to inflict violence against our bodies,” read a post on the female-led organisation’s Twitter page. Tooba Syed, an avid Twitter user and the organizer of the Awaami Worker’s Party, which helps struggling women, posted, “Say it with me and say it loud till they chant back #MeraJismMeriMarzi Not the state, not the mullah, not the family, not the man! MY body is ONLY MINE! #motorwayincident.” Another added, They say there is nothing as male privilege, While hosting an all-male-guest TV show, commenting on female issues and abuse, giving them advices and solutions based on the very same male privilege. #theirony#hangrapistspublicly#MeraJismMeriMarzi.” 

 

 

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Following the recent rape incident, many women on Twitter also got flashbacks of the horrendous experiences they have faced in the past. One user named Sabiha Shaheen wrote, “I have always raised my voice against the harassers. I have aggressively responded to them. I have a score of such bitter stories and this is a better time that I should share. #RemoveCCPOLahore#MeraJismMeriMarzi.” She added, “Whenever there is an incidence of harassment, threat of an assault and nastiness against women, it reminds me of one of my own stories.” The hashtag. #RemoveCCPOLahore has also been trending since today morning followed a top Lahore police officer’s irrational, heartless and extremely offensive remarks about the motorway incident. In a nutshell, the CCPO blamed the victim for the rape, stating that she could have taken a different and less deserted route while also adding that she should have checked her petrol tank before embarking on the journey. Twitter users were outraged by his comments. One retaliation post read, “The police chief said, ‘In Pakistani society we don’t let our wives and daughters out at night’. He should have added ‘cause there’re cops like me out there in this world’.”  We hope and pray that Pakistan and the whole world become a safer place for women from all walks of life!  

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