An opposition lawmaker in the Sindh Assembly belonging to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has submitted a resolution in the assembly secretariat against three leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz for using foul language against woman activists of PTI who participated in the party’s public meeting in Lahore on Sunday.
MPA Dr Seema Zia submitted the resolution, which stated, “This house strongly condemns the despicable and shameful language used by PML-N leaders Rana Sanaullah, Abid Sher Ali, and Talal Chaudhry against female members of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
“These misogynistic and disgraceful statements and language against females regardless of party affiliation have no place in our national discourse.” “This house demands that Rana Sanaullah, Abid Sher Ali, and Talal Chaudhry issue a public apology and their party take punitive action against these men,” the resolution added.
Speaking to reporters after filing the resolution, Zia said that with their uncouth remarks, the PML-N leaders had insulted all the women who had participated in the politics of the country, including Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah, Benazir Bhutto, Nusrat Bhutto, and Maryam Nawaz.
She said political leaders who have no respect for women would soon be disqualified from the arena of politics. “Female members of PML-N should also realise the sheer show of disrespect by their party colleagues against female political activists.” The legislator appealed to the chief justice of Pakistan to take notice of the matter.
The PML-N has come under criticism after its three leaders made uncivilised remarks about women who attended Sunday’s large party gathering in Lahore. In a press conference, Sanaullah, who is the law minister in Punjab, said, “Women who attended the gathering were not from honourable families because their dance moves implied where they had actually come from.” Separately, Abid Sher Ali, the minister of state for power, had made lewd remarks about PTI leader Shireen Mazari while narrating the details of the scuffle that took place with her during the budget speech. Mazari had asked him to not be in close physical contact with her and maintain a distance. Ali retorted saying “there is nothing to touch in her”, while addressing a large crowd. Talal Chaudhry had also made similarly offensive remarks against PTI’s women.
The Punjab government has already made moves to distance itself from the misogynistic remarks, while the chief minister, Shahbaz Sharif also apologised for the “anti-women” remarks in a tweet.