[Current Affairs] April 01, 2021 Top Pakistan Current Affairs for PPSC Test Preparation

3. The Supreme Court’s verdict on rape survivors

In what is being called “a landmark ruling,” Pakistan’s Supreme Court took a stand against the “character assassination” of rape survivors. Three men who were convicted of rape filed a review petition. In response, the Supreme Court’s verdict explains that a woman’s sexual history shouldn’t reduce her credibility as a witness or complainant in a rape case. The verdict also states that women, regardless of their sexual character or reputation, are entitled to equal protection of the law. Basically, a man can’t assume a woman’s allegedly “immoral character” gives him automatic permission to violate her “person or privacy.”

According to the ruling authored by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah,

• Reporting the sexual history of a rape survivor amounts to discrediting her independence, identity, autonomy, and free choice.

• Physical exams of rape complainants can only be performed to confirm whether the crime of rape was committed, not to determine her “virginity” or “chastity.” The Supreme Court also identified the “gender biases” in medical-legal reports, which use words like “habituated to sexual intercourse,” “woman of loose character,” or “non-virgin,” to describe rape survivors in some cases. This terminology reportedly questions the character of the rape survivor, and supports the glaringly incorrect assumption that a sexually active woman will easily consent to sexual activity with anyone.

4. Indian matchmaker turns down Indian-Muslim actress

Have you seen the Netflix show Indian Matchmaking? The inside look into South Asia’s arranged marriage culture was relatable to people who have either heard stories about the process, or gone through it themselves. Now, the show’s matchmaker, Sima Taparia, is in the news again. According to Indian-Muslim actress, Nausheen Ali Sardar, Taparia said she “does not cater to Muslims or Catholics.” Sardar reached out to Taparia’s matchmaking agency, and apparently got turned down because of her religion. We can’t confirm why Taparia doesn’t work with Muslim or Catholic clients. Maybe she doesn’t have enough “biodatas” of Muslim or Catholic singles who are originally Indian? Maybe she isn’t familiar with how Muslim or Catholic families operate when it comes to marriage? All we know is that Sardar was shocked.