MPA Hina Butt condemns Khalilur Rehman Qamar's remarks on acid attacks

Punjab lawmaker says dismissive attitudes towards gender-based violence hinder meaningful efforts to protect women

Punjab MPA and Women Protection Authority Chairperson Hina Parvez Butt has criticised remarks made by writer Khalilur Rehman Qamar during a television discussion on acid violence, describing his comments as insensitive and harmful to efforts aimed at addressing violence against women.

The exchange has resurfaced following a recent acid attack case, prompting Hina to revisit the discussion in a social media post.

During the programme, Qamar argued that public discourse often portrays men as aggressors and unfairly generalises male behaviour. When acid attacks were raised as an example of violence against women, he responded jokingly: "You're talking as if we men go out with bottles of acid in our pockets."

The remark drew criticism from Hina, who said it appeared to minimise the severity of acid violence and shift attention away from survivors.

 

Responding during the same discussion, Hina stressed that acknowledging violence against women should not be interpreted as an attack on men. Instead, she argued, it is about recognising the experiences of victims and confronting a reality faced by many women.

دنیا نیوز کے ایک پروگرام میں شریک تھی، وہاں میں خواتین کے حقوق کے حوالے سے بات کر رہی تھی، تیزاب گردی پر بات ہوئی تو خلیل الرحمان قمر نے جو بولا اس پر میں حیران اور پریشان ہو گئی۔ کہنے لگے “آپ تو ایسے بات کر رہی ہیں جیسے ہم مرد حضرات جیب میں تیزاب کی بوتلیں لیکر باہر نکلتے ہیں”۔… pic.twitter.com/niT5kCCVTM

— Hina Parvez Butt (@hinaparvezbutt) June 14, 2026

In a subsequent social media post, Hina said she was shocked by both the comment and the broader treatment of the issue during the discussion. "Men with the mindset of Khalilur Rehman Qamar are a cancer on this society," she wrote.

According to her, attitudes that dismiss or downplay violence against women reinforce harmful social norms and make it more difficult to address the issue meaningfully. She argued that individuals who fail to understand the sensitivity of such subjects should avoid making careless remarks.

"A woman who survives an acid attack becomes a living corpse," she wrote, emphasising what she described as the lifelong physical and psychological consequences faced by survivors.

Hina further argued that some people continue to place blame on women even after they become victims of violence, a mindset she said obstructs efforts to achieve justice and accountability.

While criticising Qamar's remarks, Hina maintained that the broader conversation should remain focused on supporting survivors and preventing future violence. She said meaningful progress requires empathy, accountability and a collective commitment from society, lawmakers and institutions to protect women and address gender-based violence.