PTI Chairman Imran Khan made an offensive comment about PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz during his Multan address on Friday night. Politicians, journalists, and members of civil society have criticized Khan for his “sexist and misogynist” remarks.
During his jalsa, Khan talked about Maryam’s rally in Sargodha on May 19, where she constantly criticized him. He said, “Someone sent me Maryam Nawaz’s speech from yesterday in Sargodha.”
“She said my name so often in that speech that I want to tell her, “Maryam, be careful! Your husband might get mad at you because you kept saying my name.”
After he said those things, politicians and members of civil society took to social media to say how wrong he was.
PM Shehbaz Sharif
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is also Maryam’s paternal uncle, wrote on Twitter that he strongly disagreed with what Imran Khan said and that the whole country, and especially women, should strongly condemn the “deplorable language used against the daughter of the nation, Maryam Nawaz.”
“Your low-brow humor can’t cover up the crimes you’ve done against the country and the nation. How could people who can’t respect the holiness of Masjid Nabawi (PBUH) be expected to respect the honor of someone’s mothers, sisters, and daughters?”
He went on: “Imran is the first leader of a political party in history to behave this rudely. His group set out to build a country, but instead, they hurt the morals of the people. We belong to Allah, and we will return to Him.”
Asif Zardari
Asif Ali Zardari, a former president, criticized Khan for what he said about the vice president of the PML-N. He said he didn’t like how the PTI chairman talked about the vice president.
“People who live with their mothers and sisters don’t say things like that about other women,” the PPP co-chairman said. “Please don’t go to such low levels for politics.”
He also said that everyone’s mother, sister, and daughter deserve respect, which was Shaheed Benazir Bhutto’s message to the country.
“I wish someone would also write a letter to the chief justice of Pakistan based on personal observations, so he would take notice of the situation,” he said.
Marriyum Aurangzeb
On Twitter, Federal Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb also criticized Khan’s statement and said that the coalition government was trying to protect Pakistan’s mothers and daughters from “this evil.”
“These are the same people who want to silence women journalists by calling them sell-outs [when they criticize their parties],” she said.
Sharjeel Memon
Sharjeel Memon, the leader of the PPP, said in response to what happened: “The things Imran Niazi said about Maryam Nawaz are very bad. This shows how hard he works and how dirty he thinks.”
Farhatullah Babar
Ex-senator Farhatullah Babar stated: “What a shame the former prime minister is. Getting lower and lower. Falling easily into the pit with no bottom.”
Mehr Tarar
“Imran Khan’s comment about Maryam Nawaz is very rude and something he should never have said about anyone. And I disagree with it without making excuses, “journalist Mehr Tarar wrote.
Cyril Almeida
Senior journalist Cyril Almeida said, “They don’t love IK in spite of this, they love IK because of this.”
Rehman Khan
Rehman Khan’s ex-wife, a journalist, wrote on Twitter, “I am very ashamed that I was ever connected to such a bad person.”
She also liked how polite Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari was and said that the “rudeness of a 70-year-old man” was unacceptable.
“Neither the women in his own house nor the women in other people’s houses are respected by him.”
Adil Shahzeb
Adil Shahzeb, a journalist, wrote that it was “shameful” for IK to say those things about a female politician.
“This person doesn’t know what a mother, sister, or daughter is worth. He can’t have his own daughter, but he gives speeches to the whole country about making Pakistan into the state of Madinah.”