Power and abuse

In a recent interview with a foreign journalist, PM Imran Khan was asked about rape culture in Pakistan and his government’s policies in this regard. In his problematic reply, he said that women’s clothes contribute to rape. This idea is extremely false. If the PM wants to promote the concept of purdah, he can do so. But what does purdah have to do with ever-increasing rape cases in Pakistan? A woman’s veil makes no difference to a rapist. Such people have no self-control. Let’s recall the Lahore motorway incident. Was the rapist provoked by the woman who was sitting in her car with her children? No! The rapist wanted to misuse his power and he did exactly that. Rapists don’t care about age, clothes, place or gender. How many more rape cases – that take place inside mosques, schools and hospitals and on highways; and where the victim is a child, an adult, and a corpse – do we need to understand this basic point? Imran Khan should have talked about the need to change people’s mindset to tackle this vile issue. Instead, he’s unknowingly shown a silver lining to criminals.

Asad Paracha

Islamabad