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Women are not the only ones who have a problem with Imran Khan's comments on rape

Women are not the only ones who have a problem with Imran Khan's comments on rape

Here are some men who are not okay with the premier simplifying sexual violence to be an outcome of temptation.
22 Jun, 2021

We've said plenty about Prime Minister Imran Khan's problematic comments on rape. And so have his defenders.

Now, we want you to hear what some men have to say about Imran Khan linking rape to temptation and being impacted "if a woman is wearing very few clothes [...] unless they’re robots".

Osman Khalid Butt - actor

"Of course men aren't robots. Yes, there is desire, temptation, attraction.

"Rape isn't caused by this. Rape is about power. Dominance, a complete lack of empathy, hostility. It diminishes a woman — or a man, or a child — to a sexual object. It is dehumanising."

In reply to a tweet, he said: "I studied in a segregated school till uni. There was a strict dress code, and boys & girls were not allowed to fraternise. Somehow I didn't end up sexually assaulting anyone."

Referring to the unedited clip of the interview released by the Prime Minister's Office, he acknowledged that the premier spoke of child abuse as well. But, he pointed out, that doesn't mean what he said about sexual violence wasn't highly problematic.

"This statement, his comparison of men and robots, is still dangerous. IK said everyone in society must join hands to eradicate sex crimes. In a country where talking about sex & sexual abuse is still taboo, where rapists walk with impunity, where a woman is still being led to believe no matter how much she covers up, she's still at fault for 'tempting' men, where men's animal/base instincts are spoken of in an apologist tone & not openly condemned, this is rather rich."

Zarrar Khuhro - journalist

"Look here's the thing: we all, or most of us, grew up believing wholeheartedly that rape is a 'lust' crime, a 'crime of passion' involving loss of control over the man's impulses. Certainly this is what I was socialised into believing too.

"But as you grow (as you should) you learn that this is not the case," wrote the senior journalist, emphasising on the need to self-reflect and evolve.

"Once you see the actual cases, the actual dynamics and atrocities (children, babies, corpses, heated rods being used as surrogate phalluses) you understand you were wrong. Now, acknowledging that is hard. Because it means that you have to give up comfortable notions that you had previously accepted, had imbibed from elders, peers, society. To accept they were wrong is tough. But sometimes to learn new things, to grow, means to first un-learn the old. And that takes great courage. I get that.

"But to refuse to do that is not just an act of cowardice. It is something that one can only have immense contempt for. Because the day you stop learning, and remain arrogant in your ignorance, is the day you start dying."

When asked if lust could be completely taken out of the equation, here's what he said: "Sure. But to single out the least known cause is to promote that as the major reason. And anyone who knows this issue knows that's not the case. And THAT is the problem. Especially coming from the PM himself."

Jibran Nasir - lawyer and activist

"Dear PM Imran Khan, stop humanising the rapists, abusers and harassers and stop objectifying the victims," wrote the activist.

"You may not realise it but when you repeatedly stress upon the clothes of a woman as a cause for temptation leading to sexual violence you do exactly that."

Usman Mukhtar - actor

"Rape is rape! There is no justification for it. No! It does not happen because a woman is wearing short clothes. It happens because the person who is committing this heinous, inhumane act is a criminal and the scum of the earth. It’s an act of abuse of power! It’s an act of a deranged mind, not of non robots lured by women!" the actor and director said via his Instagram Story.

"It’s like saying that if a person had a gun in the house they would want to commit murder. And it’s justified because the gun was lying around so of course this had to happen," he reasoned.

"Mr PM, please stop blaming the victim. It’s time for action. Time to punish such filth of the earth to a point no one dares to commit such an act."

One of the many arguments online has been that it's just "liberal" women who have a problem with the premier's statement but that isn't true. There are hundreds of men who didn't like what he said either.

Comments

Ali da Malanga Jun 22, 2021 06:13pm
There are three or four men who don't agree with Khan's opinion and for some reason, those men represent millions of men in Pakistan?
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Fastrack Jun 22, 2021 06:14pm
You look at these people (Jibran Nasir & Co) and you feel happy they are not on IK's side. Absolute clueless lot.
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Fast comment Jun 22, 2021 06:14pm
Everybody may have different narrative on PM saying. But PM sayings should be put to test what our Constitution and CII ( Council of Islamic Ideology) says. All those having different thoughts, may please send their question to CII, and get answer. PM Imran Khan has great experience of living in west, as well as in Pak, his opinions are most reliable & authentic, & must be respected.
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Zulfiqar Jun 22, 2021 06:15pm
Well if women not covering was not a factor then Saudi society, with all its short comings, would not have such a low rate of rape incidence. Same goes for Iran. So yes there is merit in PM’s assessment that pent up frustration is brought to the surface due to visual stimulation on the streets. Having said that, it’s obviously not the only factor. Or even the biggest factor. So what are the other factors? It’s more Important to have a conversation on that.
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Fastrack Jun 22, 2021 06:16pm
Jibran Nasir was heavily criticised for his old doings. He also misled and nearly ruined O Level students careers. Whole Pakistan hates him.
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usman Jun 22, 2021 06:16pm
We as a nation just need to pull the leg of someone instead of correcting and following the right way of living.
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Fastrack Jun 22, 2021 06:19pm
Poor haters. IK has done more against rape than they all combined. He introduced strict laws including castration, ensured all high profile rapists are caught, just nabbed that JUI's Aziz.
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usman Jun 22, 2021 06:20pm
To all the champions: Civilization or modernization does not means vulgarity. Hope we understand the difference and context of IK's stance. But we will not because we found a topic to disgrace someone because of hate against him.
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Kaashif Jun 22, 2021 06:31pm
What a lot of people don't understand is that both sides are correct, but due to ideological axes to grind, people fail to see (and it's well documented by Western research) that what conservatives call fahashi in society - pornography, pornographic depictions of women, objectification of women as simply objects of sexual gratification or baby making robot chefs, is all connected to dehumanisation. And it is this dehumanisation of women which is a key part of the cultural background from which a rapist's psychology is formed. So individual women putting more clothes on won't solve anything, but a society and cultural change about how we view and portray women and eliminating fahashi all has a part to play.
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Ali Jun 22, 2021 06:32pm
everyone have their own opinion to share and its open for discussion. so many people agreeing PM and some are objecting it and this doesn't make PM Imran right or wrong. He is not promoting rape however he is sharing his mindset how to stop it. The ideas should be collected how to make our society better and rape free. We need to collectively work upon, instead of pointing fingers.
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Ehsan Jun 22, 2021 06:48pm
Totally agree
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Haroon Temueri Jun 22, 2021 06:55pm
Like everything else every problem has multiple causes same is true with rape while there are multiple reason the rape happens dressing of woman or man is a contributing factor and can not be ignored bashing someone for merely pointing out a factor is not fair this by no mean justify the evil of rape
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Captain Jun 22, 2021 06:56pm
Those who oppose IK wants to put on short dresses and wants to see women in short dresses too. Stop for being too liberal and to win women’s votes for nothing.
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M. Saeed Jun 22, 2021 07:19pm
Imran Khan after remaining a Western influenced man for better part of his life, now due to very perplexing reasons, suddenly has become under the influence of his highly religious and strictly mystic wife. So, he is severely lost between the two widely opposite worlds.
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Say no to political correctness Jun 22, 2021 07:42pm
Are they men or woke snowflakes?
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Voice of Reason Jun 22, 2021 07:46pm
@Fast comment Is it the same CII that rejected all DNA evidence causing acquittal in Karachi rape case despite overwhelming evidence?
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Iqbal Hadi Zaidi Jun 22, 2021 07:52pm
I wonder less and ponder more as to how come of all ages, both male/ female, living all over Pakistan and belonging to different segments of our society are so vocal as to what my favorite Prime Minister Imran has said about rape. Let me blunt, to say that we must guard and oversee our males, irrespective of the fact whether he is a boy or a man for the simplest reason that he, not the female, is more explosive to be honest because he enjoys an inborn dual capacity as active as well as passive depending upon the prevailing circumstances and interests. Unfortunately, we are all the time after females, suspecting her and over seeing her activities etc without realizing even for a fraction of a second that the poor female by birth itself can only be passive and never ever be active like male. Whom to supervise, man or woman? Think rationally if we choke our males then not only males cannot be molested sexually but also our women are saved automatically. zaidi.formerdiplomat@hotmail.com
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AH Jun 22, 2021 07:55pm
A few idiots disagree with PMIK and it's represented as of whole of Pakistan. Nobody cares what these jokers think.
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Fazal Jun 22, 2021 08:41pm
Much appreciation to these gentlemen who stand strong with the weak. Kudos
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Captain Jun 22, 2021 10:01pm
Do these men don’t see women in short dresses with mal-intensions or are are they too pious that they close their eyes altogether?
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Captain Jun 22, 2021 10:02pm
These men just want to win hearts of women for nothing ..... but they want women in short dresses to fulfill their lust !
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David M Jun 22, 2021 11:06pm
We don't need artists to define our social norms. What PMIK said was cold truth though politically incorrect. It takes courage to call a spade a spade. Hat's off to the PM for speaking the right thing.
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Bila Jun 22, 2021 11:22pm
How could these 4 cheap liberals represent Pakistani narrative? Just trying to grandoise themselves by criticising IK.
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Imtiaz Ali Jun 22, 2021 11:29pm
@Ali da Malanga read International news......many over the world are condemning his words
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Pakistani Jun 23, 2021 12:47am
Why 60% news highlighting these celebrities?
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Haider Durrani Jun 23, 2021 01:02am
This kinda crew is always ready to grab cheap attention without any logical approach, otherwise, Imran khan uttered reality.
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Ahsan Gul Jun 23, 2021 01:04am
Nominally important so called actors looking for a quick game! Who cares about their opinions anyway. Sincerely
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S Ahmed M Jun 23, 2021 01:09am
Guys, deal with it. This is Islamic Republic of Pakistan. You better migrate to Canada if you have no respect for Islamic values.
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Akhtar Jun 23, 2021 01:19am
@AH your five finger point towards you
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Pathanoo Jun 23, 2021 01:38am
@Fastrack They are happy too not being on Imran Khan's side on this issue.
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Sameer Jun 23, 2021 02:07am
Simps in action
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Anjum Jun 23, 2021 03:08am
I. Khan is absolutely right. Less or tight clothes (in Pakistan) are asking for trouble. Islam does not allow this. On the other hand majority of the men in Pakistan does not have any respect for women when they see them in the offices, bazars or doing shopping. The way they look at females is shocking and you start wondering, have they not seen a women before. Men are to be blamed equally.
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Amjad Jun 23, 2021 06:06am
Imran khan is a twisted personality and never practice what he preaches. If you talk about Islam or the west rape is the most heinous crime and cannot be justified. Imran as PM has justified rape because a woman is wearing short dress,this is the criminal mindset that encourages the rapists. Shame on him .
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AQ Jun 23, 2021 06:21am
Drag us back to the stone ages why won’t you… IK and his supporters have gone bonkers… these references to CII are the funniest defence yet in along line of insufferable unapologetic politically driven dribble. If conservative life suits you, move to Afghanistan... I’m sure there are many unoccupied caves available. I hear the Sharia will return soon. Let Pakistan move forward towards something better.
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Simon Jun 23, 2021 07:05am
At last people with wisdom. As a PTI supporter, I must admit PM IK is not the most intelligent person. Honest yes, maybe. A leader with wisdom, sorry but no.
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Simon Jun 23, 2021 07:09am
@usman you are not the judge of vulgarity. You don't get to decide and neither the PM.
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Simon Jun 23, 2021 07:19am
@Captain you speak for yourself. If you think it is so hard to look away and mind your business, then that's your issue, not the women of Pakistan.
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Funny man Jun 23, 2021 07:49am
It's funny how these macho men are only there to speak for the rich and western influenced women. Can someone tell them that the women facing real issues are in rural areas. I suppose they don't follow twitter so why bother raising voice for them.
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CP Jun 23, 2021 09:30am
Imran Khan is the one who go Zainab bill and the chemical castration bill through. He understands the problem. Everyone knows what he meant so please stop playing politics on this and move on.
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Umair Jun 23, 2021 10:14am
PTI is becoming new MQM. They will decent whatever stupid things their leader will say
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Hawk Jun 23, 2021 11:21am
Rape has diverse reasons and shorts are the main cause of it.
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usman Jun 23, 2021 11:48am
@Simon Did not ask for any recommendations. It is my opinion and I appreciate your opinion. "Modernization does not mean vulgarity"
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Wajahat Ali Khan Jun 23, 2021 11:53am
women's clothes aren't only linked to rape but it also leads to acts of sexual harassment as well. look at it from a broader perspective and then you would know why PM IK explained it the way he did
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Arifa Jun 23, 2021 01:49pm
@usman : your right way of living doesn’t have to be “ the right way of living”. We are a regressive society that is not even respected by other , more pious, practical and educated muslim countries e.g, Indonesia. Pakistan is on the wrong side of history. We don’t know what ethics, human rights or way of living is. Men of this country in particular have locked their brains and refused to acquire knowledge. Pathetic.
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Ahmad Jun 23, 2021 02:35pm
PM statement has stung the .099 %people of the country who are especially sponsored by foreign NGOs to spread anti Islamic anti eastern values. His statement is welcomed by 99% but these people have no access to media to express their feelings.
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Suraiya Kasim Jun 23, 2021 02:52pm
is the PM listening?
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Sabah Jun 23, 2021 05:17pm
@Ali da Malanga so you agree that all men in Pakistan are inhuman robots and savagely go around attacking women and children because they have no control over their sexual desires? With that logic, I guess the chadar and chardewari has to work in the opposite sense - lock up the men and let the women breathe! Women certainly seem to be the more evolved gender here. They don't go around attacking those in their care.
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Ahsan Gul Jun 25, 2021 02:26am
No, some of these not known so called actors have also issues about PM’s statement! Cheap publicity is what these spoiled actors of rich parents are looking for. Sincerely
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