The Pakistani Spectator

Some hundreds years ago, Tawaifs were such girls who performed as courtesan who catered to the nobility of South Asia, particularly during the era of the Mughal Empire. They were symbol of ethics and the elite of the city sent their kids to learn manners from them, and these tawaifs also performed classical acts for the elites.

These days, the word tawaif is not used, very few people use this word. These days prostitute or call girl is used instead of tawaif. Being a tawaif is not about singing or dancing, but about selling the body. The term sex worker is not known or famous in the Pakistan, and more or less word ‘taxi’ is used.

I got this information from the daraul aman of Karachi, where I visited last week to arrange for an Iftar. After the iftar and prayers, dinner was served. There were some 30 to 40 ladies who graciously turned up for the iftar, and it was quite warming to mingle among them and to share their happiness which is a rarity for them.

I noticed a lone mid age woman, who was sitting at the corner, isolated. As I approached her, she curled and was scared and eyed me pleadingly. I was confused. I sat beside her, and asked her to join us for dinner. She looked around, and I followed her gaze, some of the ladies of darul aman were not looking at her politely, but with a disgust. I was confused. I went, filled two plates, gave her one, and started eating with her.

After the dinner, I took her arm and led her to the lawn. I asked her what was the matter. She remained silent and then said that who wanted to embrace the filth. I assured her to not to be afraid or embarrassed and tell me what the matter was. She started weeping, and revealed a heart-breaking story.

Her husband used to work in Kuwait as an electrician and she lived in Karachi with her mother-in-law. Things were not rosy, but life was going, as her husband sent stipend to them monthly. Then for straight two months there was no money came and there was no contact with her husband. They tried hard to search him through phone and other means, and after six months it was learned from a returning Pakistani, that her husband was in jail for 8 years on some drug charges. She was ruined, as there was nothing to eat and she knew nothing.

She tried to get a job, and then got a packing job in a factory in site area. On the third day, her manager called her to his room and asked her to allow him kissing. She was shocked and refused. He asked her to pack her things and go home and she was fired at the spot. She came back to home, where her mother-in-law bursted with anger when she heard that there was no job anymore. Shakeela tried in another factory, and then in another factory and there was no job for her. One day she was returning after failed attempt at a factory when a car stopped besides her, and her former manager asked her to accompany her to factory, as he was ready to resume her job.

She sat in the car and went to factory and resumed the work. She couldn’t believe that she got her job back. Next day manager called her to his room, and she knew what she had to do if she wanted to keep her job, and so she complied. After the groping in the room, manager released her. As she came out of the room, some of other working women winked at her, and the Shakeela at once knew that what everyone was thinking.

Next day, when her manager again called her, she went and said to him that as she was ready to sacrifice her, but not in the room when the whole factory was eavesdropping outside. Manager promised invited her to a nearby hotel for the evening, and she accepted. As she came out, she was summoned by the GM of the factory, who told her that he came to know about her affair with manager and he didnt like it. Shakeela told him the whole story. GM told her that she should accompany  him to hotel that evening, as he wanted to catch manager red-handed. Shakeela was relieved. She accompanied the GM to hotel, and went to the room, where she was told by manager to wait. As she entered into the room with GM, GM close the door and started groping her. In shock, when she protested, GM told her that manager was told to shut up, and she could enjoy with him, as her job depended upon him.

She lost her dignity first time in life and then it was routine. GM spent couple of months with her, then passed her to his friends. She was not going to factory anymore, though drawing salary, and also getting gifts and money from the people. After six months in the field she was in demand and was her at own. But nothing lasts forever. She got caught in a hotel with a client, and then it was police who abused her for a month and kept her in private house. When she returned home, she came to know that her mother in law had died and there was no home for her and there  was nobody to force her to earn money no matter how. She decided to leave that life and came to darul aman, and when I met her she was there just for two weeks. But given the treatment of the fellow women, she was thinking to return to the life of filth again.