Karachi, Feb. 8:The Aga Khan, in a message to Pakistani women, advises them to organize themselves to resist and fight for their rights. The message was read by the Begum Aga Khan at a function organized by the Begum Liaquat Ali Khan, president of the All-Pakistan Women's Association.
The message stated: "I do not think you realize yourselves, and I am sorry to say certainly the men of Pakistan do not realize, the importance of women taking equal rank with men in the welfare, in the government, and in the general activity and prosperity of the country. Only the other day, the Minister for Religious Foundation, one of the leading ulemas of Egypt responsible for religious affairs, was telling me that a country is like a human body: men and women are the two lungs; if you reduce the power of women you crush them with inhibitions and imaginary restrictions based ultimately on man's superior physical power; in a nation, it is exactly like a human being who has one lung perforated by tuberculosis, and only one lung to work.
"Ladies, believe me, if Pakistan does not rise to the modern idea of the equal position of women, you will find not only Europe but all other countries of Asia going far ahead of you.
"First of all you must win the right to prayers; then win your right to equality in production, industrial service, and in office work. Perhaps the greatest blot in Pakistan is the neglect of Friday prayer generally, but above all not giving women occasions for participating in these most important prayers. In practically every Muslim country, women are allowed to go to mosques for Friday prayers, and there are proper wings divided by purdah from men where they conduct Friday prayers.
"O my sister, agitate! Leave no peace to men till they give you religious freedom by opening the mosques for prayers, not side by side with men but in reserved quarters attached to all mosques, so that the habit of praying in public and self-respect and self-confidence become general among women. On that foundation of religious equality you can then build social economic, patriotic, political equality with men."
The Begum Liaquat Ali Khan, in a short speech, said the women of Pakistan would resist and fight for their rights.
.lcWomen in Pakistan won the right to vote in 1947.
