They have no choice.
By 'no choice', I am not saying someone put a gun to his head and force him to assess Pakistan thru that Western lens, but that it is human nature to make comparisons. No one can resist that part of himself/herself. You have a legitimate criticism if the man or woman have not traveled to the West but the problem for your criticism is that these people, not only have traveled to the West, but actually lived for a time in the West. They lived long enough to have Westerners for friends or even (gasp) lovers.
Bottom line is that they cannot resist making comparisons any more than they can resist thirst or hunger.
And nobody is disputing his right to make a comparison. What I have a problem with is wrong, false analogy that OP is making.
OP isn't a very qualified person hence he can not dissect the structural issues lying behind a particular problem. He makes the most simplistic case of comparing women rights in West and Pakistan as if these things are somehow same.
The problem of Pakistan is
institutional and not
cultural as OP believes (thanks to his inability to deconstruct false Western notions regarding the Muslim World in general, and Pakistan in particular in this case).
The reason women have it better in the U.S is not because of more sober cultural behavior of Americans--but rather strict institutional protections which level the playing field (to most extent) between women and men, and provide protective environment which isn't found in Pakistan.
For example, If a girl gets harassed in the street of Los Angeles (and you know that harassing is part and parcel of life in America)--the same girl, wearing short shorts, can approach a police patrol with complete trust that she'll be given protection and the police department would do its job in terms of finding/apprehending the culprits. Then, she can be sure as hell that justice department would do his job and appropriate punishments would be given to the culprits---
even if they are extremely rich and powerful.(With all its flaws, American system still delivers most of the time!).
Now, compare the same situation happening to a middle-class Pakistani girl. First thing, she wouldn't even go to police b/c in Pakistan--police itself is a threat! They are untrained, extremely poor, bribe-driven workers with guns and no oversee. Moreover, political big shots from feudal families control the "bharti process" (recruitment) whereby they give police jobs to local villagers an all to get their support. In Pakistan, rich guys can harass a girl and be sure that they'll get away with it. And lets not even talk about the justice department in Pakistan.
This is just one small example---I can give you comparisons after comparisons which shows that real problem isn't the cultural in Pakistan---its
institutional and that's where America leads countries like Pakistan.
Even if we had same cultural approach to women and their rights in Pakistan and America---American women will still have it better than poor Pakistani women---given the current nature of institutional development in both countries remain unchanged.
@Akheilos That's one of the other reason why I wanted women protections bill of Punjab assembly to be a bit more well thoughtout and more geared towards local Pakistani conditions. Just passing bills won't do much without institutional and structural changes required to make Pakistan a better, safe place for our girls.
like there is no sexual Harassment in UK or USA ?
