admin 
ISLAMABAD, (MANEND NEWS): Female Parliamentarians of Pakistan’s
ruling party Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday defended Prime
Minister Imran Khan’s stance on rape and sexual violence, calling out
the “liberal brigade” for misrepresenting the facts.
Three MNA’s press conference has been organized a day after female
lawmakers from opposition parties lambasted the premier for his
“condemnable” comments.
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.
She said that our culture and way of dressing is idolised across the
world, adding that they wish and try to dress like us graceful
Pakistanis, and no “liberal corrupt” would be allowed to be a
spokesperson for Pakistani society.
Zartaj 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.
Zartaj Gull said that my culture has given me respect, Islam has
taught me modesty. Do not try to distort the things said in the Holy
Quran.
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 and Justice 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, she said adding that you need to see what the government
has done,” she said pointing to the establishment of special courts for
deciding rape cases and anti-rape crisis cells at hospitals.
“Under PM Imran’s leadership, the two-finger test was abolished,”
Bokhari said. “Because we realise the difficulties that women have to
face, we ensured that they get their inheritance rights. No other
premier has called for such a law,” she said.
Bokhari said that women’s protection was not guaranteed through just
words and required laws, legislation and implementation. She called on
citizens to see the premier “in light of the realities and steps taken by
him”.
MNA Kanwal Shauzab maintained that the prime minister had
empowered women in the true sense.
Quoting a verse from the Holy Quran, which she said was the essence
of the prime minister’s statement, she remarked that those contesting
the premier’s statement were actually contesting Allah.
Shauzab said the prime minister’s actions showed his concern for the
issue of sexual abuse of women and children and that his comments
were taken out of context.
“In the interview, the prime minister explained the problem in detail.
He explained how our culture was different from that of the West. He
explained that just one per cent cases of rape were reported because
it was a problem of honour for people in our culture,” she said.
The MNA went on to allege that PML-N lawmakers had themselves
been involved in cases of rapes and sexual abuse, claiming that they
had patronised those involved in the Kasur incident. “On the other
hand, we passed the anti-rape law,” said Shauzab, adding that the
“liberal brigade” was misrepresenting Pakistani society.
She questioned: “Which parent would want their daughter to dress up
in a way that makes her vulnerable to attack?” “Nudityis not a part of
our culture. It is the culture of animals,” she remarked. “Islam teaches
us to cover ourselves. This was what the PM explained in the
interview, the MNA said.
“He explained about our family structure, that our society doesn’t
accept vulgarity. He spoke about how our children were exposed to
porn on social media,” she said. “He said that we, as a society, will
have to take the responsibility of ending sexual violence.”
The MNA contended that since just 1pc of rape cases were reported in
Pakistan, it was not practical to solely depend on law enforcement
agencies to end the crime. “The prime minister, therefore, said society
will have to take the responsibility for ending the crime,” Shauzab
added.
She denied that the prime minister’s remarks amounted to blaming
and shaming the victims. “Where was this liberal brigade, which is
accusing the prime minister of victim blaming, when Abid Sher Ali
made obscene remarks about Firdous Ashiq Awan and other women
parliamentarians? Were they sleeping when Talal Chaudhry used
indecent remarks for me during a live television show?”
She recalled the character assassination that former prime minister
Benazir Bhutto was subjected to by the PML-N. “But our prime minister
has stayed true to his words of respecting and protecting women, she
said.
It is worth mentioning here that PM Khan in an interview had said that
“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.