ISLAMABAD - The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) women legislators on Tuesday defended Prime Minister Imran Khan's comments on the connection between women's clothes and rising rape incidents in the society and lashed out at the “liberals” for trying to distort the facts.

They said that Prime Minister Imran Khan was a “symbol of women empowerment” and his actions showed how much he was concerned about the issue of sexual abuse of women and children. 

Prime Minister in an interview with Axios said that if a woman was wearing very few clothes, it will have an impact on the men because they are not robots.

The remarks of the Prime Minister faced strong criticism from the civil society and Opposition politicians and Parliamentarians what they said that how women could be blamed for being raped due to lack of veil and proper dressing. Addressing a joint Press conference alongwith PTI’s women MNAs, Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul said that PM Imran Khan was a leader who believed in strong women empowerment.

PTI women leaders defend PM’s remarks on rape

She said that PTI was the only party who mobilised women in the political sphere.

Zartaj Gul said that more than 12 Parliamentary Secretaries in the National Assembly are women and belonged to PTI.  

“For the first time in Pakistan, five women Ministers are sitting in the federal Cabinet. It means that if there is a symbol of women empowerment in Pakistan, it is only Prime Minister Imran Khan,” she said.  She accused the “liberals” for distorting facts as well as narrative of PTI about women empowerment and said that no “liberal corrupt” would be allowed to be a spokesperson for Pakistani society.  

She said that PM Imran Khan was trying to strengthen social fabric in line with religious teachings and culture and had given space to women that was never witnessed earlier in the country’s history.  PTI’s Parliamentary Secretary for Law Maleeka Bokhari said that PM always prioritised the protection of women and children. She said that PM had given his first instructions to the Law Ministry to make laws to put an end to sexual abuse and violence against women and children. 

She said that nobody can determine whether or not the Prime Minister cares about protecting women and children but all should look on the facts of the government’s performance at this front, she added

She said that PTI government got established special courts for deciding rape cases at earliest and anti-rape crisis cells have been established at hospitals.  She further said that it was the PTI government who got abolished two-finger test for examination of rape victims.  She added that PTI introduced the law to ensure that women get their inheritance rights.  PTI MNA Kanwal Shauzab talking on the occasion said that PM gave the statement in the light of teachings of Islam and Holy Quran.