Ashrafi comes to PM's rescue amid backlash on linking vulgarity to rape

Special Representative to Prime Minister on Religious Affairs Hafiz Muhmmad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi has come to Premier Imran Khan’s rescue after the latter facied backlash over linking vulgarity to rape.

Addressing a news conference on Sunday, he said that some segments of the society launched a baseless campaign against the premier by angling his statement and attempted to show as if PM Imran had committed a crime.

Last Sunday, PM Imran, on a TV session, blamed fahashi (vulgarity) as the root cause of the surge in rape cases and sexual violence in Pakistan.

Soon after his comments, there was an uproar on social media. Many called out the prime minister for his 'insensitive' remarks.

Also read: Jemima Goldsmith hits out at PM Imran over 'insensitive' views on rape

Among other critics Jemima Goldsmith, former wife of PM Imran, had also criticised him after he blamed women for their "inappropriate" dress for a rise in sexual harassment and rape cases.

Taking to Twitter, Jemima said that she was hoping that the remarks were "misquotation" or "mistranslation".

"The Imran I knew used to say, 'Put a veil on the man's eyes not on the woman.'," she added.

Tahir Ashrafi said that Premier Imran is head of an Islamic democratic country and he rightly declared vulgarity as a major cause of sexual assault or rape.

The prime minister did not declare woman responsible for rape, he said, adding that some elements elaborated the stance of the prime minister incorrectly and tried to portray that PM Imran is against women.

The PM’s aide said that American think tanks had already said that vulgarity is the reason of rape and the Islamic world also supported the stance.

Also read: PM Imran's 'insensitive' views on rape has Twitter in shock and anger

He said that Muslims would practice their religious duties under the SOPs during the upcoming holy month of Ramazan, adding that some political friends after failing in their sit-in or long-march, alleging the government that it would shut down mosques during the holy month.

Ashrafi made it clear that the government is not going to shutdown any mosque or Madrassa.

He said that citizens of 60 years of age could offer their prayer in mosques, adding that the age limit for offering prayers in mosques was 50 years in the last Ramazan.

He said that registration of maddaris or mosques had not been cancelled and it is still continue in the ministry of education.

He said the credit would go to the government if mosques remained open during Ramazan.

The PM’s aide went on to say that no wrong practice would be made after the Waqf Imlaak Act. He said that it is the first time that the meeting of Ruet-e-Hilal Committee would be held in Peshawar, adding that all ulema are in contact in this regard and discussion with Religious Minister Noorul Haq Qadri, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry and Chairman Ruet-e-Hilal Committee is in progress.

This year, he said the entire nation would observe Ramazan and Eid on the same day. He appealed to the traders to cut off their 50 per cent profit during the holy month so that poor segment of society could be benefitted.

The government and the court had fixed the prices of sugar, otherwise, it could go up to Rs150 per kilogramme, he added.

Here are some of the the public outrages over the premier's comment on rape:

Earlier, in an interview with a local channel, PM Imran had said that there was a rapid spread of ‘indecency’ in the world.

“We have an advantage over other developed countries in the world. We have a family system that has not been touched by indecent influences. Look at Bollywood, look at the difference in their films now and those 40 years back. The indecency has grown to such exponential levels that Delhi has become the rape capital of the world,” he had commented.

(With additional input from News Desk)