Veteran Pakistani actress Sammi Raheel has voiced serious concerns over incidents involving women in Pakistan, saying the country is currently not a safe place for women to live. Her remarks came during a recent interview in which she compared women’s experiences in public spaces today with those of earlier decades.
During the interview, the actress recalled that she used to wear jeans and a T-shirt and walk for around three hours during winter before returning home. She said women faced unwanted attention even then, but she believes the situation was different from what women experience today.
Raheel acknowledged that men would sometimes whistle at women in the past. However, she said people were less likely to tolerate physical harassment, adding that members of the public would intervene if someone crossed the line.
Recalling an incident in Lahore’s Anarkali Bazaar, the actress said that if someone touched a woman inappropriately, people nearby would catch the offender. Her comments highlighted what she described as a stronger willingness among members of the public to confront such behaviour.
The actress further stated that incidents of this nature did not occur as frequently in her experience during the past. She expressed concern about what she perceives as an increase in such incidents and the challenges women face while moving around public places.
Raheel also reflected on the role of social attitudes, saying that fear, shame and a sense of honour may have discouraged some forms of misconduct in earlier times. She suggested that these social restraints appear to have weakened, according to her observations.
