A sexist remark by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif about his women counterparts from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) soured a joint session of parliament on Tuesday after the PML-N leader received vehement backlash.
“They [women of the PTI] are leftover ruins. They are leftover waste. [PTI’s] garbage is left over which needs to be cleaned,” he said while speaking on the floor.
When the protest from the opposition ensued, the NA speaker intervened but only to caution against “crosstalk” and say that he would expunge the word “garbage” remark.
The derogatory remarks reeking of misogyny from Asif, who is a repeat offender on this count with a history of such utterances, came in response to PTI’s criticism of the manner in which the government was “bulldozing bills”.
Observers as well as the PTI deplored that the shocking comments failed to invoke more than a yawn from the members of the ruling coalition – including women – who sat there with a deafening silence.
“Depraved women should not lecture on chastity,” Asif continued his vitriol and, while hitting back at a retort from a woman lawmaker, added that the women would play up the “woman card” if he said something more.
At this point, the hush in the parliament was broken by complicit laughter.
Emboldened, the minister then went on to call the women parliamentarians the “remains” and “ruins” of Imran, pointing towards the benches where PTI members were seated.
“This is the garbage left behind” by the PTI chief, “which has to be cleaned”, he added.
At this point, the PTI women parliamentarians rose from their seats and demanded that the minister take his words back.
However, unconcerned by the growing protests, the defence minister continued, saying, “He (Imran) doesn’t have the courage to appear in courts today … And they defend him. How brave and courageous will be a person who is defended by women?”
‘Questionable silence’
The latest incident of misogyny on full display in parliament has invoked ire from the opposition PTI as well as activists and netizens who asked why the statement failed to prick the conscience of other women who sat there in “complicity”.
PTI’s Farrukh Habib questioned why Sherry Rehman and other women MNAs from the treasury benches stayed silent at Asif’s remarks.
He also called out the defence minister for repeatedly being offensive towards women.
Read More Asif reminded of misogynistic past after he takes on PM
Regretting the language used by the defence minister, Senator Taimur said only one’s moral character and conduct differentiated people. “I was worried at the language being used by such senior political figures. I’ve never heard such words in my house.”
She regretted that fellow MNAs resorted to slurs such as “garbage” and “barking”. “We don’t respect someone else when we don’t consider our own self to be respectable,” she added.
Absolutely shameful! Clearly all this is an attempt to depoliticise women in the country. Khawaja Asif and whole PMLN are constantly targeting women of Pakistan as usual. https://t.co/O2oBOsmfmM
— PTI (@PTIofficial) July 25, 2023
Meanwhile, the PTI in a statement on Twitter termed the remarks “absolutely shameful”.
The party said that the defence minister’s remarks were a clear attempt to “depoliticise women”.
PTI leader Asad Umar also severely criticised the defence minister.
“Filth from Khawaja Asif is nothing surprising; all he is capable of doing is spewing dirt on women,” journalist Mehr Tarar wrote on Twitter. “What's baffling is Sherry Rehman's silence.:
پارلیمنٹ کے مشترکہ اجلاس میں جب مجھے لب کشائی کا موقع ملا، گو کہ وقت تھوڑا تھا ورنہ اول فول بولنے والوں کو اخلاقیات کا سبق مکمل دے دیتی، لیکن پھر بھی شکریہ اسپیکر قومی اسمبلی راجہ پرویز اشرف صاحب@SenatePakistan @NAofPakistan @RPAPPP pic.twitter.com/nJMVwbBSPq
— Senator Dr. Zarqa Taimur (@drzarqa) July 25, 2023
Meanwhile, actress Mishi Khan said that the remarks were disappointing.
“So disappointing to hear such words for women there. Why so much enmity towards each other? When will this animosity stop so we can progress as a nation?”
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