The true meaning of liberalism in Pakistan is different from that of other countries. In simple words, we can say that freedom is called liberal. The liberal girl, the liberal dresses, etc. Freedom to speak, freedom to wear clothes, freedom to go anywhere and at any time. Doing the things you want and when you want is a part of freedom.
Liberal In our Society
This word is used in the sense of taunt. If the girl is Western-dressed, it is expected to hear she is a liberal girl. The way of dressing is gradually changing for both males and females. The children wear sleeveless shirts and shorts. When the children grow up, we emphasize wearing a South Asian dress. Shalwar and Qameez are hard to see in cities. But in villages, this dress is still standard. Even I saw the females wearing Dhoti and Qameez.
Transport
From two Kilometers onward, females must go close to males. If the girl is seen alone while going somewhere, people think negatively about her. The females did not go anywhere without support. What should we call this a trend or a safety issue? Mostly, females are not allowed to ride in a car, as what will the so-called people say?
Education
Education is everyone’s right, either girls or boys. Meanwhile, Boys prefer to get an education in Private Schools, but girls get an education in Government Schools. The apparent injustice I have seen in my locality is that he is a boy and has a right to get an education from a high-ranked institute. When the boys speak in English, we want to listen, and if the girls talk, we say she is showing off that she is educated.
Speak
The girls look impressive when they are quiet, and the boys look good when they speak. It’s funny that we want to listen to the males in our society, and in matters of females, we expect to remain quiet. If she speaks, we paste an open-minded label on her. The freedom to say is for the dominant personalities of our societies.
Work
The jobs of females are labeled, like the standard work for females, which is teaching. In the 23rd Century, parents asked their daughters at their job places: Are the males working there? The inflation rate is high in this situation, and every member of the family has to work for good survival. Time is spent when one member of the family earns and others sit to eat.
Conclusion
If females talk with males in the matter of profession, the label of open-minder or broad-minded is imposed. While in the case of males, if they discuss their work with females, they are professional. The liberal means freedom, but for whom? The well-educated person and humble ones know their limits and never compromise on them. I did not know when the chains of the closed box of thinking would change.
