This girl, Shireen Ferozepurwalla, hailing from Karachi has claimed that she was denied a motorbike license by a government official just because she is a woman. The news sparked a debate on social media and infuriated the already furious women in the patriarchal society.
The horrific motorway incident seems to have ripped off the band aid off the wound women have been hiding patiently- a wound caused by gender violence, oppressive social mindset and years of misogyny. Women have now had enough and seems like this girl has had it too!
Shireen had received bike riding classes last month and was relieved to now be able to ride a bike to work as it’s an affordable means of commute for her. The surging transportation rates had caused a hole in her pocket and, “It was getting a little difficult for me to stay within my budget,” she said.
Unfortunately, Shireen did not consider that the country she lives in is Pakistan where apparently nothing is easy for a woman. Not even riding a bike without receiving criticism, judgement and opposition.
Got bike riding classes last month. Was literally so relieved to be able to ride a bike. You see, I can’t really afford a car right now and with the surging rates of other transport services, it was getting a little difficult for me to stay within my budget.
— Shireen Ferozepurwalla (@SFerozepurwalla) September 14, 2020
Imagine paying 600PKR (Sometimes even 900PKR at peak times) for a one way ride of 7.3km. That is roughly 1200PKR every single day (to and from office).
Anyways, back to my relief, which was short lived. At the passport office, all was going well.
— Shireen Ferozepurwalla (@SFerozepurwalla) September 14, 2020
When she went to the license office to get her bike license the official at the government office lost his cool and rudely told her to get out;
Aap nikal jaye yahan see, bike ka license nahi dete hum larkiyo ko (Leave from here, we do not permit license to women), she quoted her tweets.
@ImranKhanPTI
Can a woman not ride a bike in Pakistan? I'm being told by the License Office that they do not issue bike riding licenses to women.They said and I quote: "Larkiyo ko bike ka license nahi dete, aap gaari chalaye."
Why? What kind of rule is this? Please respond.
— Shireen Ferozepurwalla (@SFerozepurwalla) September 14, 2020
Shocked and perplexed, she contacted one of her acquaintances in the Nazimabad Office, who confirmed that they do not issue bike licenses to women!
I left, dejected. This was the License office in Clifton. I called a man I knew in the Nazimabad Office to confirm this. He said they really did not give bike licenses to women.
— Shireen Ferozepurwalla (@SFerozepurwalla) September 14, 2020
According to her everything was going smoothly and the man behind the counter started entering her details in the system; but when she reminded him that she also needs a motorbike license issued, the man at the license office got angry and started misbehaving.
Update: I was contacted by Mr. Imran Siddiqui DSP D.L Clifton and was called to the License Office today. Finally got my…
Posted by Shireen Ferozepurwalla on Sunday, September 13, 2020
While the man behind the counter entered my details into the system I reminded him that I needed a https://t.co/KAXgTasQGm license at which point the man lost it.
— Shireen Ferozepurwalla (@SFerozepurwalla) September 14, 2020
This incident attracted a lot of attention on social media and a clarification was demanded on whether there is an actual law that forbids women from acquiring a bike license. The Advisory to Chief Minister Sindh on Law & Environment Murtaza Wahab then stepped in and clarified that no such law is in place.
@SalmanSufi7 @murtazawahab1 @MuradAliShahPPP @KtrafficpoliceE Shireen, below is confirmation from DIGP Qamar-uz-Zaman from Traffic Police, Clifton License office
This is being posted with his permission. pic.twitter.com/4S2OH7XG4j
— Alia Chughtai (@AliaChughtai) September 16, 2020
🔴 Surely this is a mistake. Why are women being told motorcycle licenses can’t be issued to them?#Karachi #South #Pakistan @SalmanSufi7 you’ve trained many women, have they had issues getting their licenses? https://t.co/gEHgU4nktC
— Madeeha Syed (@madeehasyed) September 15, 2020
He even revealed that approximately 600 girls have already been issued bike licenses under the Women on Wheels (WOW) program.
@afiasalam can you help? @murtazawahab1 Do you know anything about this? Is there a rule against issuing women motorcycle licenses? If so, Why? If not, why are offices refusing to issue motorcycle licenses to women?
— Madeeha Syed (@madeehasyed) September 15, 2020
The law permits all citizens to get a license for bike riding and told AIG police to make sure no such discrimination occurs in the future.
not at all. to the contrary… @SindhGovt1 is on board with #WomenOnWheels to issue licenses. @murtazawahab1 and @SyedaShehlaRaza were present at the launch & had announced it themselves. @SalmanSufi7 https://t.co/vAsexYoDZv
— afia salam (@afiasalam) September 15, 2020
There wasnt any such restriction & infact licenses were also issued to atleast 600 girls who were trained under the women on wheels initiative but i will again recheck
— Murtaza Wahab Siddiqui (@murtazawahab1) September 15, 2020
Have checked again & theres no such restriction. The law allows for all citizens to get the license so no discrimination should take place. Have also directed AIG Police to ensure that no discrimination takes places with our girls
— Murtaza Wahab Siddiqui (@murtazawahab1) September 15, 2020
When Will the Mindset Change?
Women around the world ride bikes for leisure, to work and as a general means of commute, because it is an affordable mode of transportation for a single person and not every woman can afford the luxury of a private car. While this is highly common in countries all around the world, it is a rare sight in Pakistan. It is very seldom that we see women on bikes alone and the ones who do travel on bikes are really courageous and bold; they know they will be harassed, stared at, judged by people in this country.
They are a no-go zone area for majority of the women in Pakistan and ever since this incident occurred, we now why it is so- It is the mindset of the men in this society who have created their own rules and make it unsafe for these women.
While talking to Dawn Images Shireen said:
After my post, I’ve found out that many girls got their bike license because they pressurised the staff at the license office and stood their ground when they were refused. I’m planning to go and try again. This time I won’t leave till I get one.
She wanted to know why the men in these offices have made their own rules based on their own will? Who made them the law makers? If the man behind the counter does not want women to ride bikes, does he have the authority to refuse women licenses like this? How is their personal opinion and mindset affecting their job? Does the officer have the right to decide what women are allowed to drive?
She wants to know why the authorities are allowing this kind of behavior and not firing these men? She wants accountability. We all do.
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