THERE used to be a time when “tea trolley” (borrowed from the title of Rehana Alam’s book) marriages were arranged by the families of prospective couples. It was not uncommon for those who were about to tie the nuptial knot to be strangers to one another; it followed that they had no say in the matter of their own marriage. In fact, this cultural practice still persists in many households.
Today, we are faced with a bizarre situation in Pakistan: girls outnumber boys in medical colleges – 70% are girls – but half the number do not enter the medical profession after graduation and opt for the stereotypical role of a homemaker assigned to them by a patriarchal society. This also happens to be a time when there is an acute shortage of doctors in the country.
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