By Uzma Zafar
ISLAMABAD: Female MNAs from the ruling PTI on Tuesday defended Prime Minister Imran Khan’s problematic comments on rape and sexual violence, calling out the “liberal brigade” for misrepresenting the facts.
Their presser comes a day after female lawmakers from opposition parties lambasted the premier for his “condemnable” comments. During the presser, Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul claimed that the premier was “a symbol of women empowerment” as no other party had managed to mobilise women in the political sphere to this extent.
“For the first time in Pakistan, five women ministers are sitting in the federal cabinet. This means that if there is a symbol of women empowerment in Pakistan, it is Prime Minister Imran,” she said. “Our culture and way of dressing is idolised across the world. They wish and try to dress like us graceful Pakistanis,” she said, adding that no “liberal corrupt” would be allowed to be a spokesperson for Pakistani society.
Gul was referring to Prime Minister Imran’s heavily criticised remarks on the link between a woman’s clothes and rising rape incidents in the society. “If a woman is wearing very few clothes it will have an impact, it will have an impact on the men, unless they’re robots. I mean it’s common sense,” Imran had said in his interview with Jonathan Swan for Axios. “My culture has given me respect, Islam has taught me modesty. Do not try to distort the things said in the Holy Quran,” said Gul in the press conference.
She said that women empowerment is incomplete without the implementation of the law. She lashed out at “liberals” for trying to distort the narrative when the premier was trying to “strengthen social fabric in line with religious teachings and culture”.
“When we go somewhere men stand up and vacate their seat. They don’t say ‘equality’. They say you have more respect because you are a woman.” She said that the way the prime minister had given space and a “strong position” to women had not been witnessed before in the country’s history.
Parliamentary Secretary for Law Maleeka Bokhari said that she was proud to be a member of parliament under the leadership of “a man who prioritised the protection of women and children”.
She said that the first instructions the premier gave the law ministry were to make laws to put an end to sexual abuse and violence against women and children. “You can’t distort a question and determine whether or not the premier cares about protecting women and children. You need to see what the government has done,” she said .
