Pakistan unfortunately remains on the downside of democracy. It is a country known for its military centrality. The latest in line of problems caused by this state of affairs is the target on women’s right activist Gulalai Ismail by the military. Democracy Digest has reported on this incident. It states that,

Gulalai Ismail is one of Pakistan’s best-known women’s rights crusaders, speaking out about forced marriages, gang rapes and crushed dreams. Her groundbreaking work has carried her around the world, winning her awards and audiences with high-powered women such as Michelle Obama and Queen Elizabeth II. But in her own country, Ms. Ismail has become an enemy of the state, accused of inciting rebellion. And now she is on the run, The New York Times reports:

For two months, practically no one has seen her. Pakistan’s security services, known as among this region’s most cunning and brutal, can’t find her. They have raided her house several times and deployed scores of officers, and, according to Ms. Ismail’s family, abducted and tortured family friends to extract information….

When she was around 16, a female cousin who dreamed of becoming a pilot was married off to a man nearly twice her age, abruptly ending her education — and her dreams. That motivated Ms. Ismail to start an advocacy group, Aware Girls, that has trained thousands of young Pakistani women about their rights. One was later shot in the head: Malala Yousafzai, whose resilience has inspired millions. RTWT

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