Anger over sexist reporting of women in Pakistan
Church leader condemns ignorant and unethical commentary in Urdu-language newspaper
Christian women take part in the annual Aurat March in Karachi on March 8. (Photo: Kamran Chaudhry/UCA News)
Rights groups and journalist bodies in Pakistan have condemned a daily newspaper for publishing an abusive commentary about participants in an annual women’s march.
“Fourteen countries have the highest rape cases of women. The
randies [whores] of Aurat March can’t see these non-Muslim countries,” stated the front-page article in
Ummat, an Urdu-language newspaper in Karachi.
“Why don’t they abuse religions like Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism of the majority populations of these countries? Why does their voice rip apart while criticizing their teachings?”
Rights groups have taken exception to the prime minister’s remarks on the causes of sexual violence and rape, terming it factually incorrect, insensitive and dangerous. DawnNewsTV/File
ISLAMABAD: The Women’s Action Forum (WAF) and other rights groups have taken exception to the prime minister’s remarks on the causes of sexual violence and rape, terming it factually incorrect, insensitive and dangerous.
A statement signed by representatives of several rights organisations said that Prime Minister Imran Khan had actively fostered and promoted rape culture and rape apologia.
“In a country where the total reported cases of rape represent only the tip of the iceberg, such statements have the effect of further traumatising and silencing survivors of sexual violence by placing the blame on them, instead of on those who carry out the crime and the system that enables rapists,” the statement said.
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April 7, 2021
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and women rights forums Tuesday condemned the remarks made recently by Prime Minister Imran Khan on the causes of sexual violence and rape, terming them ‘factually incorrect, insensitive and dangerous’.
In a statement, the Human Right Commission of Pakistan said it was appalled by Prime Minister Imran Khan s remarks linking the incidence of rape to obscenity. This is an unacceptable behaviour on the part of a public leader, said the body in a statement. Not only does this betray a baffling ignorance of where, why and how rape occurs, it also lays the blame on rape survivors, who, as the government must know, can range from young children to victims of honour crimes.
Islamabad: Pakistan rights campaigners have accused Prime Minister Imran Khan of baffling ignorance after the former cricketer blamed how women dress for a rise in rape cases.
In a weekend interview on live television, Oxford-educated Khan said an increase in rapes indicated the consequences in any society where vulgarity is on the rise . The incidents of rape of women. (have) actually very rapidly increased in society, he said.
He advised women to cover up to prevent temptation. This entire concept of purdah is to avoid temptation, not everyone has the willpower to avoid it, he said, using a term that can refer to modest dress or the segregation of the sexes.
2021/04/07 23:20 ISLAMABAD (AP) Pakistani rights groups are criticizing Prime Minister Imran Khan after he claimed in an online show that wearing the veil the traditional Islamic head covering will protect women from sexual assault and not lead men into temptation. The Pakistani leader made the comments on Sunday in a live tele-chat dubbed “Prime Minister On Call With You” streamed by state-owned Pakistan Television in which he answers questions from the public. A cricket star who had a reputation of a womanizer before he turned to politics and became devoutly religious, Khan said women who wear the veil would not tempt men into attacks remarks that women’s rights activists say excuse rapists and put the blame on women. He also said vulgarity and obscenity combine to destroy societies and families.