Women lawmakers belonging to ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI); in a sharp rejoinder, furthermore, came down hard on opposition parties and the ‘liberal brigade’; on social media on Tuesday for mercilessly criticising Prime Minister Imran Khan over his controversial statement on women’s dressing. In an interview on HBO; aired on Axios’ website on Sunday; interviewer Jonathan Swan had asked if the PM thinks what women wear has any effect on the temptation that leads to rapes, moreover, the premier replied; “If a woman is wearing very few clothes, it will have an impact on the men unless they’re robots. I mean it is common sense.”
Confused, Swan rephrases his question; “But is it really going to provoke acts of sexual violence?” Furthermore, Maintaining his stance; PM Imran proceeded to elaborate, “It depends on which society you live in.” He added that: “If in a society people haven’t seen that sort of thing, it will have an impact [on them]. Growing up in a society like yours; maybe it won’t impact you. This cultural imperialism… whatever is in our culture must be acceptable to everyone else.”
Minister of State for Climate Change:
Secondly, Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul Wazir; flanked by Parliamentary Secretary for Law and Justice Barrister Maleeka Ali Bukhari and Parliamentary Secretary for Planning; Moreover, Development and Reforms Kanwal Shauzab, tried to put the record straight in a joint press conference in Islamabad today. Furthermore, The state minister firmly rejected the criticism; accusing the prime minister of tainting the image of the victims bearing sexual violence. Gul said the “liberally corrupt goons” should not dare to be the leader and representative of our women. Thirdly, there had been repeated efforts made by the “liberal brigade” to distort Prime Minister Imran’s strong efforts made to project a positive and progressing image of the country, she added.
Lastly, “Prime Minister Imran Khan is the genuine symbol of women empowerment as for the first time in the country’s history, five women parliamentarians have been made cabinet members… along with them 12 parliamentary secretaries are women including Maleeka Bukhari, Kanwal Shauzab and Aliya Hamza Malik who represent their ministries in the parliament,” she said. Gul stressed that women like her were proud; to be called Pakistani woman observing Islam as their faith. Furthermore, “My religion and culture give me respect and we are believers of women’s; rights that are enshrined in the teaching of Islam. Islam gives me freedom and liberty and I am proud to have it,” she maintained.