Islamic Pakistan and Secular India and World’s Oldest Profession
By Swaraaj Chauhan • Oct 18th, 2009 • Category: Misc, Worth A Second Look • 16 Comments“Secular” India and “Islamic” Pakistan try to suppress prostitution but ignore the plight of thousands of people involved in this highly risky but widely practised profession. Some NGOs have done commendable work, such as a recent drive in Karachi to promote health awareness among sex workers.
Lahore, Karachi, Calcutta, Bombay and Lucknow were among the traditional urban centers in undivided India that had special streets earmarked for music, dance and “adult activities”. That is until a few decades ago when traditional entertainment by “tawaifs”/courtesans degenerated into routine prostitution.
(For an interesting historical account of this subject and vintage photos - such as circa 1900 photo above - please click here…)
The BBC reports: “Pakistan’s first workshop on health awareness among sex workers has contributed to a new spirit of openness in the profession. The 3-day event was recently held in Karachi by Gender & Reproductive Health Forum (GRHF) - a local social welfare organization - in collaboration with the United Nations Fund for Population (UNFPA).
“The last two decades, given the increasing Islamisation of Pakistani society, have further reinforced stereotypes about such women. But the profession has only grown.
“Karachi alone has at least 100,000 female sex workers, according to data gathered by local welfare organizations. Lahore has 75,000 sex workers while the military garrison town of Rawalpindi has at least 25,000.
Last year, a news report pointed out that prostitution in Pakistan, once relegated to dark alleys and small red-light districts, is fast seeping into many neighbourhoods of the Muslim state’s urban centers.
An investigative report by the Asia Times, titled Sex in Depth: In Pakistan, stated: “The Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi sex scenes are totally changing and it is becoming easier and easier to get a girl for sex.
“Most hotels provide you with girls on request. Even otherwise, it is easy to find girls prowling the streets after 6 pm, and foreigners could find young women hanging out near Western franchises like McDonalds and KFC.
“As in many societies, access to technology, Internet and mobile phones has facilitated the sex trade in Pakistan. The women are available for in-house services for as little as Rs 400 (US$6) to take-away prices ranging Rs 1,000 to 2,000.
“These prices are mostly for locals, foreigners can indulge in higher prices. Foreigners in Pakistan have no trouble finding companionship and may receive rates similar to locals in downtrodden districts.
“More upscale areas like Lahore’s Diamond Market cater to well-heeled locals and foreigners. At these places prettier, younger girls push their services for Rs 5,000 to 10,000 for an all-night visit, and the most exceptional can command Rs 20,000 to 40,000 for short time.”
Early this year, the Global Post carried a moving pictorial feature about Pakistan’s “infamous” artist Iqbal Hussain, who grew up in the Heera Mandi, Lahore’s red light district.
“Much of Hussain’s work sits in a permanent exhibit at Lahore Art Gallery. Other pieces auctioned by Sotheby’s have reportedly fetched prices of $10,000 or more.” More here…
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The sociologist of sub continent throughout give many justification of red light are in our culture i,e
extreme frustrated environment for youth, conservative setup. strong network of joint system where couple cant live in free way, disappointed arrange marriages or for few just normal way of passing leisure time.
But west with so much liberal culture cant get rid of this curse which is also producing same negative affects on their people as do in our culture.
There young girls and boys are also forced and some by choice adopted this profession which is almost declared as an unethical and unhealthy way of pleasures.
So west with so much liberalism and modernization techniques couldnt get rid of this dirty slave trade so how we accept this in our side?
It is better to manage Hira Mandi etc, rather then looking to stop prostitution. They are a very important part of society.We shuld not be hypocrates and reject them and in the dark of the nights,we do the same.
Fakir - sorry but I don’t agree with you either…you’re effectively saying it’s ok to do this and it’s not. This is serious and organised crime we’re talking here.
But what’s the solution to ‘manage’ this problem…
Do you issue 70 lashes to the culprits?
Do you publicly name and shame the people caught in local newspapers?
Do you incentivise the Police to do more??
Do we need a welfare state for those who say we do this because of poverty?
If Brothels and this stuff is operating locally, then local people have first hand knowledge of this and of the men/women involved so why is progress slow to tackle/break this up? Are they scared to report or not bothered?
Crime and sins are always punishable state of human nature in which the self is estranged from God,.
By adopting such ways we actually not only disaffect our love ones who lives on our faithfulness but betray God’s guidelines as His command ,
Brothels are demand of elite and so called noble class of society who finds dark hours to cover their double standard of living,
These brothels and red light areas are symbols of men’s weakness and his natural tendency towards sins and found in all culture of the world irrespective of particular religion.
Still cant go to the depth of human mind that if legal ways are available then why people adopt such way of pleasure that mostly lead them towards irreversible impairment whether exists in physical or by virtue but this human sinful pleasure always produces irreparable circumstances in the form of STD, HIV,illegitimate children and inner guilt with the passage of time.
nazia and anon ….what do you suggest we should do here, round up all the prostitutes and their clients and blow them all up ???
Ibrahim
You can try this to curb it , I am sure you would fail even blowing them all.
After seeing long history of such menta sickness along with many civilizations that harlots are part of each society.
People become very angry on me when I say that why Allah offer momain for 72 hoors in jannat.Hoors mean beautiful young maids provided to man just of his amatory and uncontrollabe desires for women,Surely he is symblicolly presented as errotic specie whose first reward would be bunch of 72 women.
When a little boy start reading this incentive in Quran do one thinks that what comes in his little mind and what he develop after living all his life with such incentives .
So I think it is inbuilt tendency in males to go and see for prostitutes.
For woman like me I have no fear of this culture as this way one can easily judge the character of a man. if he is inclined towards them , he is infidel unfaithful and untrustworthy person .A quick test to judge the character of men.
We can reduce it negative affects by developing strong and loving family ethos around us.Surely it is woman job as a mother and wife to care of her responsibility towards sons and husband.She should be so strong and firm on safeguarding her home boundary that neither the men dare to cross it nor prostitutes get space to interfere in the purest life style of a couple.
In Muslim countries prostitution and going there is placed on criminal charges so it goes into woman’s favor so if any lady finds his man in such business she can easily leave his partners or if still want to remain with him , 70 lashes, with some imprisonment can be offered by state to protect her home.
So choice is her to yield a better and modest life to her family.
Khan Sahab…………..mujhe to lagta hai ke aapka screw thoda dheela hai……. log chocolate kha rahe hain aur aap abhi tak moo mein nipple liye hue ho……..kamaaaal hai………..
khan
I am not confusing people but trying to probe that what are real factors of society that force men to opt such filthy acts.The man who even cant tolerate to share his glass of water or any dress with any men but feel no hesitation to pick a prostitute for his desires who was left over of many men.
As far as women are concerned I am sure that the days our mother would start disowning their sons who go there and wives would get divorce on the issue of going to prostitute in front of whole family and his kids, things could be different .
Ladies of our society accept this evil of society as mistakes of men or its weak diversions towards attractive women or many other kind of justifications to console their hearts, is actually giving courage of motivation to sinful life. of men community
Some materialistic women intently ignore such lustful acts of men as they shower them with money gold and other worldly desires.
I even saw many women in Lahore culture who force their men to bring the beautiful prostitute/dancers from red light area for their home functions.This way they give green signal to their men community to enjoy this path as routine matter of life.
prem
khan like people dont want to leave this infantile gestures as they have become use to of it and growing more than their mental age would create confusions in their short range life patterns.
Nazia,
I think you should come of your high horse once in a while.
Demand exists because the Supply is available.
Its the failure of women to satisfy their husbands in marriage that leads to this sin
Its the failure of mothers to teach their daughters/sons to respect their ezaat
Its the failure of govt and system that fails to provide a means of living to vunerable women that end up here.
Men are’nt angels…i agree with you totally. But you fail to mention the woman factor.
After reading ‘premji’s comments, I even more suprised Nazia that you turn a blind to the garbage this loser has written.
anon
I always prefer to stick with my soil and by chance take high horse as change in life.
I don’t agree with you that is this case demand and supply formula is applied as this is part of illegitimate desire in most of cultures and religions and one first have to cross the religious and social hurdle before adopting it.
I have described women factor in my last lines that can increase male tendency toward prostitution but it can only contribute if he has inbuilt genetic desire for it,No way exact motive of this act of sin.
Women of our society specially from modest background are quite unaware of demand of men so how can you blame them.Ignorance of women need proper guidelines by their husbands and swapping them with prostitutes is not ethical solution of good married life.
Yes I agree that materialistic and cold women sometime creates lot of problem that is reason divorce option is left open for men but again it is male’s tendency to opt for illegal ways rather than go for right tracks.
The men who use these vulnerable women as prostitutes are mostly rich citizen of society and that is why this trade always get social protection and poor enjoys the left over of rich community.
hi to all friend i just want to say to all Muslims is this Islam which we see in these days in Pakistan or all over the world we can just talk no one can do any thing please the young nation have to do some thing not just use net and say some thing and it wil b ok no we have to do some thing we have to educate the people if some one hert by my words then i m sory
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You have got your stage via a lot better than I at any time could, thank you!…