Pakistan PM blasted for linking rapes to how women dress, ex-wife says ‘Onus is on men’

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan drew flak from people across the world, including his ex-wife, after he linked increase in rape cases to how women dress. Khan stoked controversy after he not only blamed women’s dress for a rise in rape cases in his country but also advocated that women should keep themselves covered in veil. "Vulgarity is to blame for the rise in cases of sexual violence in Pakistan," he was quoted as saying. 

During a live question and answer session, when a caller asked Khan what his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government plans to do about sexual violence against women, the Pakistan PM said that some fights cannot be won by laws alone and advised women to cover up to prevent temptation. He further said that the concept of 'pardah' (traditional head covering) in Islam is intended to "keep temptation in check".

“If you keep increasing vulgarity in a society, then definitely there will be this impact,” he said “What is the whole concept of observing the veil? It is so that there is no temptation in society. Each individual does not have the willpower or strength, if you keep increasing obscenity in the society and if you don’t care, then there are impacts of such things.”

Reacting to the statement, Khan’s ex-wife Jemima Goldsmith took to Twitter and quoted Quranic verse lashing out at the Pakistan PM. Jemima, who was married to Khan from 1995 to 2004, tore into the misogynist statement by saying that “the onus is on men.” 

Human rights organisations condemn Pak PM’s remark

A number of human rights organisations released a statement condemning Pakistan PM’s “factually incorrect, insensitive and dangerous” remark and demanded an apology. “Through this statement, and others made prior to this, the Prime Minister has actively fostered and promoted rape culture and rape apologia,” the statement read. The organisations pointed out Khan's previous comments while noting that 'there is a discernable pattern in his statements, which reveals his own regressive views on rape and sexual violence."

Further the letter demanded an apology from Imran Khan while also urged him to “desist from making such statements in the future” “In demanding an apology from the Prime Minister, we take this opportunity to remind him that rape is never the fault of the victim or survivor. Fault rests solely with the rapist and the system that enables the rapist, including a culture fostered by statements such as those made by him."

Netizens enraged over Khan’s remake

Pakistan PM's "insensitive" remark comes while there are at least 11 rape cases reported in the country every day, according to official statistics. In the past six years, over 22,000 rape cases were reported to police but only 77 accused have been convicted. Imran Khan's comment sparked an outcry on social media as netizens were 'utterly disappointed by the 'victim blaming' and called Khan a 'rape apologist'.