Islamabad: Pakistan’sformerpremierNawazSharifon Friday cameunderfirein the Senateforallegedlyusingsexistremarksat his homecoming rally over the weekend.
Sharifreturned toPakistanon October 21 after about four years of self-imposed exile in London and addressed a big rally ofsupportersin Lahore, his hometown.
In the heat of emotions, he attacked thewomenofPakistanTehreek-e-Insaffordancing at the party’s rallies.
“Where are our sisters? Look how respectfully our sisters are listening to this rally. There is no one dancing to music here. Do you understand what I am saying or not,” he said, pointing towards hiswomensupporterspresent in the rally.
Though uttered in the heat of emotions and without openlyusingany derogatory words, his opponents objected to his tone.
The matter echoed in the Senate wherePTI’s Senator Walid Iqbal criticised theformerpremier by saying thatSharifshould be taught by someone how to “respectwomen”.
“Altaf Hussain (formerchief of Muttahida Qaumi Movement) also talkedagainstwomenand had to apologise later,” Iqbal said.
When Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani intervened and asked Iqbal to avoid making a political statement, the latter responded by saying: “I am not making a political statement.”
Earlier,formerPTIwoman lawmaker Maleeka Bokhari took to social media to object to the reference towards thePTIwomensupporters.
“A convictedformerpremier openly passingsexistand misogynisticremarksabout the political participation ofwomen. Of course, he believes that only his daughter, Maryam has the entitlement and right to do politics and should be treated with respect,” she said on X.
(Published 28 October 2023, 02:03 IST)