On the last day of the Karachi Literature Festival one of the book launches I was anticipating was ‘Interpreting Islam, Modernity, and Women’s Rights in Pakistan’, so I decided to guarantee a seat by going to the seminar in the same room before this one titled; ‘Novel aur Nisai Shaoor’. As it was, this turned out to be the perfect prelude as the session threw light on feminism in Urdu literature. The book launch began and the author Anita M. Weiss  invited students to sit on the stage with her to make room for the audience which seemed to be endless. Moderating the session was gender activist and author Nausheen Ahmad and the other panelist was former member of the HRCP, Justice (R) Nasira Iqbal.

Weiss began the session by telling the audience that the first word in her book was Ijtihad. This word is vital for any Muslim who has sought the guidance of the Quran’s teachings and she emphasised how it really stands for research and reason. The effort to understand the holy text demands reason that is motivated by empathy. Weiss has been coming to Pakistan for the past 39 years and in that time she said she has learned that there is a cacophony of different views on women’s rights in Islam and a hundred per cent of the population cares about women’s rights. At this statement, the the cynicism in the audience was almost palpable but she insisted that even men who keep their women at home are coming from a place of concern.

Nausheen Ahmad added that the book was immensely insightful contained much needed research on the subject.

Justice Iqbal, who had been smiling fondly at the panel and audience, ,said that there was an excellent message in the book which ultimately about how to move forward. She also emphasised that  rights really stem from the family and from making the conscious effort to secure empowerment and actualization, regardless of gender.

The session ran overtime and so Weiss promised to take everyone’s questions outside as the next seminar started.