Pakistan's former PM Nawaz Sharif under fire for using sexist remarks against PTI women supporters
Islamabad (PTI): Pakistan's former premier Nawaz Sharif on Friday came under fire in the Senate for allegedly using sexist remarks at his homecoming rally over the weekend.
Sharif returned to Pakistan on October 21 after about four years of self-imposed exile in London and addressed a big rally of supporters in Lahore, his hometown.
In the heat of emotions, he attacked the women of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf for dancing at the party's rallies.
“Where are our sisters? Look how respectfully our sisters are listening to this rally. There is no one dancing to music here. Do you understand what I am saying or not,” he said, pointing towards his women supporters present in the rally.
Though uttered in the heat of emotions and without openly using any derogatory words, his opponents objected to his tone.
The matter echoed in the Senate where PTI’s Senator Walid Iqbal criticised the former premier by saying that Sharif should be taught by someone how to “respect women”.
“Altaf Hussain (former chief of Muttahida Qaumi Movement) also talked against women and had to apologise later,” Iqbal said.
When Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani intervened and asked Iqbal to avoid making a political statement, the latter responded by saying: “I am not making a political statement.” Earlier, former PTI woman lawmaker Maleeka Bokhari took to social media to object to the reference towards the PTI women supporters.
“A convicted former premier openly passing sexist and misogynistic remarks about the political participation of women. Of course, he believes that only his daughter, Maryam has the entitlement and right to do politics and should be treated with respect,” she said on X.
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Karnataka Congress MLA Gaviyappa wants CM to stop some poll guarantees, draws DK Shivakumar's ire
Bengaluru/Vijayanagara, Nov 26: Karnataka Congress MLA H R Gaviyappa on Tuesday urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to drop some poll guarantees, citing lack of funds, which drew sharp response from Deputy CM D K Shivakumar.
The ruling party MLA from Vijayanagara suggested that the election guarantees have made it difficult to provide houses to the poor in the state.
“Because of guarantee schemes, there is difficulty in providing houses to poor. We are also asking the Chief Minister to drop two or three schemes, which are not needed. Let’s see what the Chief Minister says,” Gaviyappa said in a public meeting in Vijayanagara.
He, however, maintained that he would stand by the decision taken by the Chief Minister.
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According to the Congress MLA, the CM raised Rs 40,000 crore this year keeping development in mind.
The legislator's statement irked Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar.
“This is Congress party. I am going to issue him a showcause notice. He can’t do that. No question of closing any guarantee. We have committed to the people of Karnataka. No one can raise their voice (against the guarantees),” the Deputy CM, who is also the Congress state president told media in Bengaluru.
He said a Congress MLA cannot speak against the guarantees.
Those who are ineligible will not get the benefit, Shivakumar said adding the same policy has been adopted in the recent revision of BPL cards.
The Karnataka government has decided to remove the government employees and income tax payees from the list of BPL card holders as per the Central government norms.
