Ansar Abbasi seeks government attention on UN recommendation on 'decriminalizing consensual sex'
JournalismPakistan.com | Published: 16 April 2018
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Ansar Abbasi urges the Pakistani government to act on the UN recommendation to decriminalize consensual sex. He expresses concern over the implications for society and calls for government accountability.Summary
ISLAMABAD - Indignant over efforts to turn Pakistan “into a free sex society”, columnist Ansar Abbasi Monday termed his column in daily Jang an effort to get the state’s attention on the “nod” to discuss the UN recommendation on “decriminalizing consensual sex” in Pakistan.
In the column – Maamla mera jism meri marzi say aagay barh gia – Abbasi points towards the April 9 news item in The Express Tribune which says that instead of rejecting the UN recommendation on “decriminalizing consensual sex”, Pakistan has used the word “noted”, hinting that this may be reviewed.
According to the news in The Express Tribune, “In a surprise move, Pakistan has officially ‘noted’ a recommendation made during the third Universal Periodic Review (UPR) which suggest repealing laws barring adultery and non-marital consensual sex.” Abbasi has been complaining about “obscenity” on the private TV channels, asking for judicial and government intervention.
Already alarmed over the campaign “my body, my choice”, Abbasi fears the agenda of “shamelessness and dishonor” is being promoted in a planned way. He added that in the UPR of 2008 and 2012, Pakistan had rejected the recommendation on decriminalizing consensual sex.
The columnist also regrets the silence of government ministers on this issue, saying through tweets he tried to seek the attention of Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, Minister for Interior Ahsan Iqbal and Maryam Nawaz.
“But none of them gave any reaction.” In the end, he maintained the column is an effort to get the state attention, expose NGOs which are working on this agenda and why the government is not moving against them. He also provided his cell number for feedback from readers on this issue.
KEY POINTS:
- Columnist Ansar Abbasi highlights the UN's recommendation on decriminalizing consensual sex.
- Pakistan's response to the recommendation has raised concerns among conservative groups.
- Abbasi criticizes the government's silence and lack of action regarding this issue.
- He seeks to expose NGOs advocating for this agenda.
- The column serves as a call for state intervention and public dialogue.
