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Updated 04 Feb, 2019

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto's been thrown questions about shaadi plenty of times, but has he gotten any better at answering them? Not quite.

While the question used to fluster him, he now appears to have a rehearsed response...

Watch it here:

When asked about his marriage plans at a recent press conference, the PPP Chairman joked to a chortling audience, "We are having detailed, comprehensive strategic meetings about this. We are planning the exact time, whether we should do it before the elections or after, whether it should be during our campaigning or before."

He went on to say with a big grin, "[We're also discussing] if I should marry one woman or four... one from each of Pakistan's provinces. We are investigating what the electoral impact of that will be. When the report is complete, I'll present it to you."

Also read: Watch this news anchor correct Mustafa Kamal's casual sexism on live TV

By pandering to the casually sexist sense of humour of the average Pakistani male, Bilawal may have drawn a few laughs from the audience present but wrecked his image as PPP's young, progressive leader in front of the wider world.

Joking about picking up wives from each province as if they're objects and sharing the belief that a wife may be used for his political party's gain exposes a fundamental disrespect for women on his part and his handlers.

As the world sees increased scrutiny on how we navigate gender politics, a person of Bilawal's education and exposure should know that his comments about women need to be measured and respectful. It calls for a need to Bilawal to introspect about the kind of image he wants to portray — eyes are on him to raise the standard of behaviour expected of politicians, not conform to its current low.

Comments

Murtaza Khan Feb 04, 2019 12:26pm
you expected better? ... seriously? the boy, who has no life achievements, inherited a national political party based on a flimsy will and his father is embroiled in multi gazillion rupee money laundering scam while the province over which they lord is rotting and what you are concerned about is a sexist joke ? ... that is why our country is messed up.
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alijimmy Feb 04, 2019 12:29pm
Take it as a joke. He was surely pointing at Imran Khan.
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Amy Feb 04, 2019 12:29pm
Keep pointing out problems in jokes... soon there won't be any jokes left to tell.
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Wajahat Feb 04, 2019 12:35pm
Not a fan of Bilawal at all, but i have seen the clip and it is done on a lighter note ! lets have a laugh and move on, otherwise everything laughable would be sexist, racist or sectarian ! Its alright to have some fun.. dont make them a robot because of such writeups, this would discourage them to open up anymore...
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sheema zain Feb 04, 2019 12:41pm
I think you are over reacting and reading too much into it.
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Rubina Feb 04, 2019 12:43pm
This is what he actually is despite PPP's aged leaders efforts to portray him as a decent and moderate leader. In fact, the poor lad living under the wings of big Zardari does not have the right to plan his life. People should ask daddy instead and stop bothering him.
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Babar Hussain Feb 04, 2019 12:43pm
Marriage for Political Impact !!! This is what marriage means to them? Deplorable... comment by all standards.
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Iran Baloch Feb 04, 2019 12:45pm
Calm down femanists There is nothung sexist about his redponse Whether he settles for one or more wives Amy life partner will impact his political career whatever the choice. His wife Will come in the political lime light whether anyone likes it or not. Who uses it to whoes advantage or detriment remains to be seen. Poligomy is not a crime and no worse than having one marriage and many mistresses.
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Talha Ahmed Feb 04, 2019 12:47pm
This comment was not sexist.
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Khan Feb 04, 2019 01:05pm
What is sexist in the remarks? He didn't say anything bad!!
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Mani Feb 04, 2019 01:07pm
Oh please. PPP and Bilawal are not liberal. Its astonishing to see media fall into the same trap over and over. Pay attention to their actions behind the facade of their words.
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Talha Feb 04, 2019 01:09pm
Smart answer! Rehearsed or not, I don't care. Don't be offended, just my view.
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Hasnain Haque Feb 04, 2019 01:13pm
Surely nothing else was expected from a feudal lords son who has not progressed despite having spent a lot of time in the UK.
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Aleem Feb 04, 2019 01:16pm
pathetic
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Afsheen Feb 04, 2019 01:25pm
People were decived by his speeches in assembly thats are not his words he trained by political leaders to deliver speeches and stuff bt now when he reply at his own all so called leadership qualities of his are open in front of nation ..
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Kashif Feb 04, 2019 01:26pm
What else one can expect.
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Karim Buksh Feb 04, 2019 01:30pm
Its so obviously a joke - in other words does not communicate his real thoughts on women or marriage - and is treated as a joke by all. Note that its really at the expense of politicians - tongue in cheek - that they do everything for political gain or with political impact in mind. So its a joke at the expense of himself and the PPP rather than women, which should probably be applauded.
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PRASANT KUMAR DAS Feb 04, 2019 01:39pm
No way sexist. He is telling the average sick mind of PAKISTAN society and parenting the true scenario.
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M Akram Feb 04, 2019 01:43pm
A pathetic immature response - he will never be PM of Pakistan.
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Jarhead Feb 04, 2019 01:47pm
As much as I dislike BB, the blame lies with media for frustrating him with meaningless questions that prompted such a response.
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Akram Feb 04, 2019 01:47pm
We will never get good leaders.
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Naeem Shaikh Feb 04, 2019 01:48pm
Good to marry 4 times. As ratio of women is greater than men so men should marry 4 times so as to support more women. Some ppl dont mind if one keeps 10 girlfriends at a time but they have problem with someone marrying more than one.
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ishtiaq Ahmed Feb 04, 2019 01:50pm
This was clearly uncalled for joke. I did not enjoy it and regretted it came form Bilawal.
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Waheed A. Tunio Feb 04, 2019 01:51pm
Bilawal is expected to be more responsible.
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DISPARATE Feb 04, 2019 01:59pm
@Talha Ahmed the writer is trying to be creative. Had to write something.
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MG Feb 04, 2019 02:00pm
Why can't these guys be normal and get married at right age? Marriage has a great impact on behavior and responsibility taking aspects. Similar to this we have Rahul Gandhi in India who is no where close to reality due to not being married.
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Siana Kaan Feb 04, 2019 02:01pm
He was using irony. Since he has grown up and read in the same town that I live its his warped sense of humour and I agree he has to be very careful. Since the public at large in Pakistan is poorly educated and an oblique comment on the way life partnerships are selected in arranged marriages and weirdness ness of our shariah are not to be scoffed at. BB will be a formidable leader on the future but he needs to grow up to the realities of Pakistani culture and our sensitivities. However, falling in the Shariah trap and picking four wives one from each province is not the way to go about it.
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Mirza Feb 04, 2019 02:04pm
I guess it was okay what he joked.
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Mirza Feb 04, 2019 02:04pm
@Aleem why?
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Zak Feb 04, 2019 02:26pm
‘eyes are on him to raise the standard of behaviour expected of politicians, not conform to its current low.’ Eyes are on him to leave politics. He is a chip of the old block. As corrupt as dad.
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Zak Feb 04, 2019 02:27pm
@Talha Ahmed Yes it was. Imagine his awoman politician saying, I will pick up a man from any province to better my votes.
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Impartial Feb 04, 2019 02:32pm
This is a normal witty reply to the very personal question! Why search something bad in it?
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Aqeel Feb 04, 2019 02:40pm
This seemed like a very casual and funny joke. I didn't find any problems with it.
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A. A. Feb 04, 2019 02:40pm
I am not a fan of BBZ in general, but this is making a mountain out of a molehill. Let people breath!
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Jawad-Downunder Feb 04, 2019 02:54pm
It is naive to expect anything better than that considering the company he keeps. Of course, that way he qualifies for the position he aspires.
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Ali Feb 04, 2019 02:57pm
Typical wadera mindset, he must ditch his father and cronies around him if he wants to succeed
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Fizza Feb 04, 2019 03:14pm
This response is not sexiest. He just gave a witty answer to escape such questions in future.
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Salim Sardar Feb 04, 2019 03:14pm
What do you expect from a Zardari?
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Fizza Feb 04, 2019 03:16pm
This response is not sexist. He just gave a witty answer.
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RationalBabu Feb 04, 2019 03:20pm
@Talha Ahmed: The fact that you can’t see it shows how deep rooted the problem is!
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Karachi wala Feb 04, 2019 03:27pm
What else you can expect when you can not satisfy Rightists, can not satisfy Leftists ?
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MAK Feb 04, 2019 03:36pm
Polygamy is normal way of life in human cultures, labeling it sexist is a recently coined bogey, it doesn't belittle women I think it is more respectable than cohabitation
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Bitter truth Feb 04, 2019 03:37pm
Don't know why some people try to blow things out of proportion. Everything he said was on a lighter note and he didn't say anything like "picking up" girls from four provinces. the writer is trying to twist his words to make mountain out of a molehill. Criticizing everything with or without a reason in the guise of feminine rights damages the cause only.
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RAja Raman Feb 04, 2019 03:40pm
These comments are in lighter vein.
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Abhilash Feb 04, 2019 03:42pm
That was good sarcasm over state of politics.
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Ahmed Feb 04, 2019 03:47pm
Did dawn just call a party "progressive" whose leadership is passed on through generations of a single bloodline instead of holding proper intra party elections
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Syed Feb 04, 2019 03:50pm
It was in poor taste, agreed. But this line: "By pandering to the casually sexist sense of humour of the average Pakistani male..." How is that not sexist? And racist at that? At least hold yourselves to the same standards
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TRUEWORDS2000USA Feb 04, 2019 03:50pm
I don't like Bilawal Zardari but in this case I will take his side it is nothing more than and joke. Let's not make it more than what it is and let move on and put his dad to a place that he deserve the most "Jail".
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Puma Feb 04, 2019 03:51pm
It wasn't sexist at all.
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Imtiaz Ali Khan Feb 04, 2019 03:53pm
Come to Sindh and I will show you the reality of how pathetic the conditions are here for humanity. Shame. Bilawal Zardari is not a Bhutto. Mini Zardari rooted and raised by corruption money of humanity suffering of unimaginable scale.
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SyedChaudhryGangaDinKhan Feb 04, 2019 03:54pm
What is sexist about it?
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S akram Feb 04, 2019 03:55pm
"" As the world sees increased scrutiny on how we navigate gender politics ..."" Whether the joke was sexist or not, the above sentence from the article speaks volume about the slave mindset of so-called liberals....
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Practical Feb 04, 2019 03:56pm
He is following the guidelines of King AbdulAziz as he married a women from each tribe. This helps as son in law the families in each province will support him.
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SRK Feb 04, 2019 03:58pm
Seems like person next to him(left side) stop Bilwal to further say anything....
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Raza Feb 04, 2019 04:08pm
Even cracking a joke turns into a 'sexist' comment! Abusing in movies in the name of realism is termed as justified! A sorry state of affairs.
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Shaibaaz Feb 04, 2019 04:15pm
He wants to play around, loaf,\ around for some more time and become a PM one day with his Dad's assistance...
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Muz Bukhari Feb 04, 2019 04:20pm
@Akram Are we good citizens?
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Khurram Feb 04, 2019 04:22pm
What else would you expect from a feudal? You can care about the image he portrays to outside world but he can't change his feudalistic mindset due to that.
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Shoaib Feb 04, 2019 04:27pm
What type of therapy is still needed. Being a graduate of Oxford, he still making such remarks, must be ashamed of it.
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Independentthinker Feb 04, 2019 04:34pm
What else can you expect from Asif Ali Zardari's son? As the saying goes - apples don't fall far from the tree!
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mah Feb 04, 2019 04:41pm
Firstly, he is not Bilalwal Bhutto, but Bilawal Zardari. Secondly, what else do you expect from a Zardari!
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EMP Feb 04, 2019 05:00pm
Pretty sure the 'images staff' member is female hence the sensitivity on a non issue. He clearly cracked a joke and you couldn't take it. Sorry but do grow some skin to deal with the world.
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Arif Jan Feb 04, 2019 05:23pm
More of the same dirty pakistani politics! The country lacks leaders of acumen and foresight. Sadly!
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Aman Feb 04, 2019 05:24pm
He is not a leader, i do not know who follows him?
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putho madre Feb 04, 2019 05:36pm
Some people don't have a sense of humor.
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INDIAN Feb 04, 2019 05:44pm
If marrying four and Choosing appropriate ( instead of falling in love) is the approved custom, then he has done nothing wrong.
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Mak Feb 04, 2019 05:57pm
Absolutely stupid comment .
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Haris Feb 04, 2019 06:01pm
Oh come on! Such a brilliant article that the author didnt even want to put his/her name to it. "Desk Report" what does that even mean? I am no fan of this guy but this is taking his words out of context and giving it rhetoric spin in order to get some clicks. It was a joke, realty of religion and culture we live in that this can be seen as a joke, nothing to do with progression or liberalism. Report real stuff!
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Haris Feb 04, 2019 06:02pm
@Zak yeah fine say it, it will be funny! It was a rubbish question from a reporter which warrented an equally rubbish reply!
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Saeed Feb 04, 2019 06:10pm
What do you expect from our leading feudal family member? Just pretends to be modern and sophisticated
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Desi Feb 04, 2019 06:13pm
Learn to differentiate between a joke and a factual statement. Bilawal just made a joke and you are writing an article and twisting what he said. We need to take things lightly, and stop creating controversies and conspiracy from everything that we read that we don’t like.
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Patriot Feb 04, 2019 06:21pm
He is truly his father's son!
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Zulfiqar Feb 04, 2019 06:33pm
Can the author please explain what is sexist about that comment by Bilawal?
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Zulfiqar Feb 04, 2019 06:34pm
@Shoaib being a graduate of Oxford is not a guarantee for anything. And btw there is nothing sexist about what he said
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ReeeeeeIAmOffended Feb 04, 2019 06:41pm
Finding offense where none is to be found. Explorers had better luck finding water in Sahara but whatever your floats your boat eh
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Hamaad Feb 04, 2019 06:43pm
@MG - what about Modi ji? ' Is he not still a bachelor? Far removed from reality...
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Carol Feb 04, 2019 06:44pm
@MG It is better to remain single and marry only when appropriate. Marriage is not compulsory. Look at Modi who left his wife in the lurch just after marriage.
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Sam.K Feb 04, 2019 06:54pm
IT WAS A JOKE... JEEZ
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nur Feb 04, 2019 07:34pm
His feudal upbringing is reflected in his psychic !
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Hamid Ali Feb 04, 2019 07:42pm
@alijimmy You dont say stuff like this as a joke as well. you must have a terrible sense of humor.
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AB Feb 04, 2019 07:51pm
No big deal.
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Arif Ahmad Mir Feb 04, 2019 08:15pm
Bilawal is simply an apology always suffering from foot in mouth disease . He has no struggle behind him , this is a problem with all family based political parties where sons and daughters inherit it as a real estate .look at N league ,the same problem there also.
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Life Feb 04, 2019 08:28pm
Honestly, I couldn't find anything sexist here.
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El Cid Feb 04, 2019 08:28pm
He was in a light mood, inline with the question. He was just having fun. Give him a break on this one.
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Khalid Feb 04, 2019 08:57pm
The people like BBhutto not for he is a scholar but because he’s the son of Benazir, now he has shown his true color which will decrease his popularity.
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ijaz Feb 04, 2019 09:00pm
I think he was being sarcastic but not sexist
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ustaad Feb 04, 2019 09:06pm
All said and done, bilawal has been expressing boldly liberal views no other politician in pakistan has been doing.
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RationalBabu Feb 04, 2019 09:16pm
@MAK, so you are saying that in 21st century being married to 4 women is more respectable than cohabitating with just one woman you love!
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FROM Feb 04, 2019 09:22pm
No matter where you are educated, you can't take out the guaranteed right of a LORD of Sindh out of this so called young leader! This is why the people of Pakistan are opposed to the dynastic political leadership. ZA Bhutto, Benazir, Zardari and now Bilawal? Was Pakistan only created so that the off-springs of Bhuttos' and Shareefs can lord it over ordinary hard working Pakistanis?
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hamza khan Feb 04, 2019 09:56pm
i'm in complete shock and denial that bilawal bhutto could have uttered such sexist nonsense, i had such high hopes from him given what a progressive party he runs. NOT. perhaps some pakistani elites and their wishful thinking have been shattered, not me. stop extolling PPP as some sort of progressive party. its not.
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Faisal Feb 04, 2019 10:41pm
Dumb question, dumber answer.
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Khalid Feb 04, 2019 11:22pm
Very poor joke, if he wants to be PM of Pakistan. Looks like he will make Imran Khan's position easy. At the same time needs to get out of his peculiar accent to normal accent.
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Sehar Feb 04, 2019 11:28pm
Get a sense of humor
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Atta Mateen Feb 04, 2019 11:34pm
Sexism is part of our society. it is a shame that a major party's leader is making this inferior comments. Being as progressive party, PPP leaders must be careful of making such mistakes.
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N abidai Feb 04, 2019 11:59pm
The question should be what woman with right mind wants to marry him!
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Daskalos Feb 05, 2019 12:36am
What do you expect really? Bilawal Bhutto -Zardari is a Wadera despite all his Western education, same as his father and his grandfathers. Do you think ZAB was any better? Do you think PM Imran the jock is any better? Or Mian Nawaz Sharif? It's a matter of shame that the vast majority of Pakistani men are still the same bigoted types as their elders were. Nothing has changed or will change here.
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Nasser Feb 05, 2019 12:46am
I am no fan of a Bilawal but his response was quite smart , sarcastic and funny . Give him credit for a good sense of humour and keeping things light when a lightweight question is asked by a reporter.
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Nadeem Jamali Feb 05, 2019 02:27am
He can say this in Pakistan because polygamy is legal in Pakistan. That is the joke.
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Abbas khan Feb 05, 2019 02:52am
@Murtaza Khan Well said !
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Harambe Feb 05, 2019 02:52am
I am not a Bilawal fan, But I am sure he was frustrated by the constant prying into his private life in public! I am glad he treated all that with casual dismissal. Bilawal is allowed four wives as a Pakistani Muslim and he is rich enough to support them--if he so chooses and four women accept the arrangement! BTW: I don't even think he will make a great Pakistani PM!
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Shan Feb 05, 2019 03:06am
He wrecked his image!... for which he worked tirelessly for all his life... his image is tarnished beyond repari :) I find this statement hilarious...
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Khan Feb 05, 2019 03:44am
@Naeem Shaikh In 2015, male to female ratio for Pakistan was 105.64 males per 100 females. Should modern women start marrying more than one man?
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alliasa Feb 05, 2019 05:05am
He is just taking a dig at Pakistan’s selected PM
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Infodict Feb 05, 2019 08:16am
To people who are claiming this is not sexist, what if an women joked she'd marry four different guys for political purpose. Imagine the character assassination that follows. What he said may not be sexist, but what he showed himself as is, a sexist.
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Prateik Feb 05, 2019 10:07am
Misogynistic culture galore.
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Abul Feb 05, 2019 10:25am
Why was the reporter so interested in his marriage? Rubbish question to put forward. I like the way he answered.100 marks to him.
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Vinnie Feb 05, 2019 12:29pm
Such an over the top reaction to a simple response. It is obvious he is not interested in marriage at the moment, and the media keeps needling him with such silly queries. And he also replied with sarcasm, which i guess has been missed by the author. Lets move on with more important issues that need attention.
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Asif A. Shah Feb 05, 2019 01:50pm
In Pakistani cultural context, it strikes me a bit funnier than sexist. Why the media is obsessed about his marriage any way?
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illawarrior Feb 06, 2019 05:26am
@Iran Baloch Polygamy is a not a crime??? Perhaps not for men! But it certainly is for women! Where is the equality? If Polygamy is to be permitted, it should apply equally to both genders.
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illawarrior Feb 06, 2019 05:31am
@Naeem Shaikh Actually, Pakistan's gender ration is 106 males to every 100 females, thus, statistically, it is women who should be taking multiple husbands. Knowing there is competition, might also make the husbands treat their wives better.
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Adnan Feb 06, 2019 12:10pm
Nothing wrong with his comments
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Zak Feb 07, 2019 12:56am
Go do your home work.
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M. Kamran Feb 07, 2019 09:22am
Should be ashamed. This is no subject to make fun of!!
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Adil Feb 08, 2019 06:17am
Bilawal bhutto is no progressive, he is his fathers son and corrupt to the core.
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Zora Feb 08, 2019 06:33am
@Murtaza Khan Very well said!
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