An ajrak wraps up misogynistic remarks spat

PML-F MPA pardons PPP minister; party supporters
still stage a protest demanding Pitafi’s resignation

Although Pakistan Muslim League-Functional MPA Nusrat Seher Abbasi forgave Pakistan People’s Party minister Imdad Pitafi on Monday for his derogatory remarks after he draped an Ajrak over her as a token of respect, PML-F supporters nevertheless staged a protest outside the Karachi Press Club.

Abbasi too attended the protest and said that she had to as it was being staged as per party policy. The supporters shouted slogans against Pitafi demanding his resignation from the assembly seat. They said merely apologising was not enough as Abbasi is a daughter of Sindh and derogatory remarks against women were unacceptable.

Earlier, Abbasi while addressing a press conference at Sindh Assembly party’s secretariat haf said she would set an example by self-immolation. During the provincial assembly proceedings on Friday, Pitafi had told Abbasi that she should “come to my chamber if she is not satisfied with the answer” when she had asked him to read his answer in English.

Abbasi had retorted that the minister should take his mother and sisters to his chamber as she fully understood what he meant. On Monday, Abbasi said she had been humiliated and now being forced to forgive Pitafi. She appealed to all women in the province and the country to stand by her in this hour of need.

“This is not a personal issue, but it’s about the misogyny and male chauvinism that exists everywhere in our society,” she added. She said most women faced workplace harassment and they were being stopped from working. “I too was being stopped from doing my job as a politician.”

Later, she pardoned Pitafi when he offered her an Ajrak as a sign of respect and withdrew her call for his termination. She told reporters that she had requested PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to ensure that such an incident did not occur again.

Clarifying her position at a press conference after the session was adjourned, Abbasi said she had only forgiven Pitafi because of an Ajrak symbolised the highest form of respect in the Sindhi culture.