Misogynistic remarks: PTI sends violation notice to PEMRA for inaction

Letter also requests CJP to take suo motu of derogatory comments made

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf on Friday sent a violation notice to Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) slamming two Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders for their misogynist remarks against women of PTI.

In the letter sent to PEMRA by the PTI central secretariat, both Provincial Law Minister Rana Sanaullah and Federal Minister of Water and Power Abid Sher Ali were lambasted for using inappropriate language for the women of PTI and the women that attend their rally.



The letter, drafted by PTI spokesperson Andaleeb Abbas, reads: "Two gross violations of Schedule-A [Rules 3(1)(f) of Code of Conduct of 2015 by Punjab Law Minister Sanaullah, while speaking outside the Punjab Assembly on April 30 made highlighly  comments about the women who attended PTI Lahore rally which were widely criticised.

It also said: "Abid Sher Ali in a speech made shocking comments about MNA Shireen Mazari which caused public outrage. These comments are so disgusting that by any standards in the world a regulator should have immediately taken an action against them. However, Pemra has been found wanting on both occasions."

The letter stated that both statements directly violate Pemra rules. PTI also listed three demands for penalising the two: Pemra should charge Ali and Sanaullah for this violation until the charges are decided, TV channels should be banned from giving them press converage and their participation in talk shows should be banned.

PTI also requested the Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar to take a suo motu of the "filthy and dirty verbal attack made by these MNAs on the mothers, daughters and sisters of the country."

On May 2, a PTI legislator demanded that the government remove Sanaullah for his derogatory comments on the PTI’s women workers who assembled at a public gathering in Lahore.

In a bid to demean the PTI’s power show held at historic Minar-e-Pakistan, Rana Sanaullah sparked damning outrage due to his misogynist statement. Commenting on the rally, Sanaullah had raised ‘concerns’ over the ‘character’ of the PTI’s women supporters.

The comments received severe backlash from all quarters. Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, the PTI chief Imran Khan strongly condemned the foul language used by Sanaullah.



But on Tuesday the PTI MPA Dr Murad Rass submitted a resolution in Punjab Assembly, contending that the party strongly condemned the words used by the law minister for the PTI female workers and demanded that Sanaullah should tender an apology.