Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan stirred another controversy on Friday with his “sexist and misogynist” remark on Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz.
Referring to Nawaz’s recent address at a rally in Sargodha, PTI Chairman Imran Khan said, “In that speech, she uttered my name with such passion that I fear that her husband may get upset with her.”
Following his comment, many politicians, journalists, and civil society members expressed strong disapproval on social media.
Taking to Twitter, incumbent Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who also happens to be Maryam Nawaz’s paternal uncle, stated that the entire nation, especially women, should strongly condemn the “deplorable language used against the daughter of the nation.”
“Your crimes against the nation cannot be covered by your lowly humour. How could those — who cannot respect the sanctity of Masjid Nabawi (PBUH) — be expected to respect the honour of someone’s mothers, sisters, and daughters?” Sharif tweeted.
“Imran is the first person in history to fall into this abyss of rudeness as the leader of a party. His party went out to make a nation but spoiled the morals of the people instead,” he added.
Former President Asif Ali Zardari also condemned the derogatory language used by the PTI Chairman. “Those who have mothers and sisters in their homes do not use such language against other women,” the PPP co-chairman told Geo News. “Please, do not stoop so low in the name of politics.”
Federal Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, taking to Twitter, also called out Khan and said his coalition government was trying to save the women of Pakistan from “this evil.”
Imran Khan – Leader with record sexist comments
It is pertinent to mention here that this is not the first time Imran Khan has faced the wrath of the public for his misogynist and obscene remarks. Back in 2021, the then Prime Minister stoked controversy by saying that the women wearing ‘fewer clothes’ led to increased sexual violence cases in the country.
Imran Khan in an interview with Axios on HBO was quoted saying women wearing fewer clothes leave a ‘temptation’ on men which ultimately increases the cases of rapes and sexual violence. His remarks led to massive outrage on social media, with people expressing disgust over his comment about women’s safety.
In another interview with Geo TV, Imran Khan had made similar comments stating that the cases of sexual violence or rapes were a product of obscenity. He had described it as a ‘Western Import’ and went on to highlight the ‘Purdah’ system to remove the temptation because ‘not everyone has willpower’.