Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leaders Rana Sanaullah, Tallal Chaudhry and Abid Sher Ali recently made sexist comments against female participants of a Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) rally held in Lahore on Sunday. While speaking to reporters outside the Punjab Assembly yesterday, Punjab Law Minister, Sanaullah made inappropriate comments about the women who attended the PTI rally.
He said, “The women who attended the rally were not from honorable families because their dance moves implied where they had actually come from.” Here’s the video of the remarks made by Sanaullah:
On the other hand, Chaudhry, at a separate press conference, once said: “We don’t ask whose house you [Imran Khan] stay at when you visit London. It is another matter altogether what you do over there. When it comes to your wife, she remains veiled, but our mothers and sisters are for display?”
While addressing a public gathering on Sunday night, another PML-N leader, Abid Sher Ali also issued suggestive and lewd remarks against PTI’s Shireen Mazari.
He said that while protesting against Finance Minister Miftah Ismail’s budget speech in the National Assembly, Mazari had asked him to keep a distance and not touch her. He then asked the crowd in Punjabi, “What is there to touch?”
Here’s a clip of what all he said:
https://twitter.com/Pansota1/status/990841307949133825
The comments have sparked a backlash against the PML-N leaders and people all over the country are furious on these remarks. PTI Chief, Imran Khan took to Twitter to express his distaste with the remarks:
PTI Vice Chairman and former Foreign Minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi also followed Khan’s lead.
I strongly condemn the disgraceful and disgusting statements of Rana Sanaullah & Abid Sher Ali against PTI women. The party is proud of it's women. They are the flag bearers of our movement and a source of inspiration for all of us.
— Shah Mahmood Qureshi (@SMQureshiPTI) April 30, 2018
Defence Minister and PML-N leader, Khurram Dastgir Khan also criticized the comments of his fellow party members:
Shehbaz Sharif, Chief Minister of Punjab, issued an official apology for the misogynistic remarks.
Journalists like Asma Shirazi, Rabia Anum, and many others also expressed their disgust on the matter.
Shameful statement by #ranasanaullah against women participated in #PTIMinarePakistanJalsa , no words to condemn even
— Asma Shirazi (@asmashirazi) April 30, 2018
No woman deserves this comment. I hope the women from PMLN @MaryamNSharif @Marriyum_A @marvi_memon @hinaparvezbutt @AzmaBokhari would speak out against this. pic.twitter.com/3kEPF4pBH1
— Mansoor Ali Khan (@_Mansoor_Ali) April 30, 2018
Some people pointed out that the misogynist and sexist attitude is a result of the lack of female representation in politics and other positions of power.
This is why more women need to be in decision-making positions in the media industry. Shut out such crass misogyny by both male and female politicians. https://t.co/sR1caQdW2T
— Benazir Shah (@Benazir_Shah) May 1, 2018
People also urged the masses to stop voting for such leaders.
https://twitter.com/wsaqib/status/991007371534241794
Some even pointed out how the female leadership of PML-N, especially Maryam Nawaz, had nothing to say on the matter.
Pls correct me if I am wrong, Not a single woman of #PMLN condemned #RanaSanaullah or #AbidSherAli abusive language they used for women. #RespectWomen
— Nadia Mirza (@nadia_a_mirza) May 1, 2018
Baji @MaryamNSharif aurat dushman anasair, Abid Sher Ali aur Rana Sanaullah k baray me bhi kuch arz karden? https://t.co/CAawVK2GUP
— Zoya Anwer (@ZoyaAnwerNaqvi) May 1, 2018
Some people wanted to impose a ban on these leaders.
https://twitter.com/DrAyeshaNaveed/status/991031793674579968
On a serious note, people are demanding for a strict action against these sexist leaders.
We demand immediate action against #RanaSanaullah for the disrespect he has shown to mothers, daughters, sisters of Pakistan.
He owes a public apology to the women of Pakistan. pic.twitter.com/aSrpZKFUIi— Dr. Nausheen Hamid (@DrNausheenPTI) May 2, 2018
A press conference was held against the language used by political leaders.
Press conference against foul language used by #RanaSanaullah. pic.twitter.com/Co6XLPvDvQ
— Dr. Nausheen Hamid (@DrNausheenPTI) May 1, 2018
PTI will also protest in the National Assembly.
PTI will protest in National Assembly against the remarks of Rana Sanaullah about women and PMLN Minister Dr Tariq Fazal not willing to defend Rana Sanaullah pic.twitter.com/Cz1hQP4MG4
— Hamid Mir حامد میر (@HamidMirPAK) May 1, 2018
This is not the first time someone in power has made sexist remarks. Earlier this year, our Chief Justice, Saqib Nisar also got in trouble for these comments.
Will our leaders ever learn to respect women? And will we stop putting such people in positions of power? Aap batayein. Let us know in the comments.
