Rights activists, opposition politicians demand apology from PM Khan over rape remarks

A women's rights activist, Tahira Abdullah, holds a placard at a protest rally in front of the National Press Club in Islamabad on April 8, 2021, demanding an apology from Prime Minister Imran Khan over his remarks on sexual violence against women in Pakistan. (AN Photo)
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Updated 09 April 2021
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Rights activists, opposition politicians demand apology from PM Khan over rape remarks

  • Khan said rising “vulgarity” was responsible for an increase in the number of cases of sexual violence, during a live broadcast last Sunday
  • Arslan Khalid, the prime minister’s focal person on digital media, told Arab News Khan "never engaged in victim blaming"

ISLAMABAD: Civil society activists organized a protest at the National Press Club on Thursday, demanding an apology from Prime Minister Imran Khan for a recent statement on sexual violence against women, where he said wearing the veil, the traditional Islamic head covering, would protect women from sexual assault and not lead men into temptation.
In a statement that has caused outrage among activists and opposition politicians, Khan said rising “vulgarity” was responsible for an increase in the number of cases of sexual violence.
Members of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party have said Khan’s statement was misinterpreted and misunderstood.
Arslan Khalid, the prime minister’s focal person on digital media, told Arab News the prime minister had “never engaged in victim blaming,” adding that certain segments of his interview were lumped together, causing “misunderstanding.”
“Initially, he spoke about how the government had put in place robust rape laws to deal with the rising cases of sexual assault,” Khalid said in a phone interview. “And then, in a different context, he spoke about society, mentioning pardah [veil] which is not just a piece of cloth for women but also [a symbol of] respect.”
“People understand it as being specific to women, but it applies to both genders,” Khalid said. “It is about respecting other people’s space, about yourself when you interact with others.”




Protestors gather at the National Press Club in Islamabad to demand an apology from Prime Minister Imran Khan for his controversial remarks regarding rising sex crime cases in the country on April 8, 2021. (AN photo)

Asked what the prime minister meant when he spoke about “vulgarity” giving rise to sexual assault cases, ruling party senator Faisal Javed Khan said the PM could not be accused of victim-blaming.
“He did not put the responsibility on the victims [of sexual violence] or what they were wearing when he used that word,” Khan said in a phone interview. “Nowhere did he explicitly say that. He said that the root cause was the presence of such media being readily available on phones which everyone has, and we need to fight this together as a society.”
The government issued an official statement on Wednesday saying Khan’s comments had been “distorted to mean something that he never intended.”
“The Prime Minister said that our strict anti-rape laws alone will not be able to stem the rise in sex crime,” the statement said. “The whole society has to fight it together.”
Major clerics and religious bodies also announced their support on Thursday for PM Khan’s statement, saying “obscenity and nudity played a key role behind instances of molestation and abuse” and the prime minister’s stance would be “lauded” at Friday congregation prayers around the country.
But women’s rights activists say they were dismayed.
“The prime minister needs to have some gender awareness,” said Farzana Bari, an organizer of Thursday’s protest. “How can a head of a government make such irresponsible statements which are indirectly creating sympathy for rapists? This is why we are here since we demand something better from him and the state.”
Bari said Khan’s comments reflected a lack of understanding about crimes of sexual violence.




Protestors gather at the National Press Club in Islamabad to demand an apology from Prime Minister Imran Khan for his controversial remarks regarding rising sex crime cases in the country on April 8, 2021. (AN photo)

Renowned women’s rights activist Tahira Abdullah said the prime minister’s statement betrayed a “misogynistic” mindset.
“He has gone beyond the pale, absolutely, of what is acceptable,” she told Arab News.
Abdullah said Khan not only owed an apology to women but also to Pakistani men.
“To say that men cannot control themselves and resist the temptation of women without a veil in the public is to imply that men cannot control their ‘rapist tendencies,’” she said.
The demands made by activists for an apology in Thursday’s protest were also mirrored by opposition leaders like Senator Sherry Rehman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
“Blaming vulgarity for the rise in rape cases is ridiculous as this removes the onus of responsibility from the rapist,” she said in a written message. “Rape is an act of violence where the rapist wants to establish his power and authority. A person’s body and autonomy are violated. Is the PM telling the women of this country that it is their fault if they get raped?“
Muhammad Zubair, a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) politician, had the same query.
“His analysis is not just completely wrong, but it is dangerous for the prime minister of a country to suggest that the blame [for sexual assaults] falls on women and the way they dress up,” he told Arab News over the phone. “Victims of rape can be as young as 5 or 6 years of age … How can you blame them or imply that they somehow provoked men into committing such act of violence?“
“Without question, there must be an apology,” Zubair added.


Pakistan PM asks authorities to ensure provision of food items at affordable rates in Ramadan

Updated 02 March 2025
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Pakistan PM asks authorities to ensure provision of food items at affordable rates in Ramadan

  • The development comes amid a decline in consumer inflation in Pakistan, but many Pakistanis say they are still feeling the pinch
  • A day earlier, the Pakistani government launched a Rs20 billion relief package to support 4 million needy families across the country

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed federal and provincial authorities to ensure provision of food items to people at affordable rates during the holy month of Ramadan, Pakistani state media reported on Sunday.
The prime minister gave the directives while presiding over a meeting in Lahore to review supply and prices of sugar in the South Asian country.
Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, wherein Muslims abstain from food and drink from sunrise till sunset for a month.
While the government tries to keep the prices in check, hoarders often create artificial shortage of essential items to make illegal profits during Ramadan.
“Shehbaz Sharif said provision of sugar and other food items at affordable rates to people is top priority of the government,” the Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.
“He emphasized strict action against smuggling and hoarding.”
The prime minister said the government’s crackdown on sugar smuggling helped combat it successfully in the last few months, directing authorities devise a strategy for provision of food items at affordable rates, according to the report.
The provincial chief secretaries assured the meeting that stern action will be taken against hoarders and the district administrations will work vigilantly to this effect.
The month of Ramadan, the exact start date of which depends on the sighting of the new moon, began in Pakistan on Sunday, with many Pakistanis saying they were feeling the pinch despite a decline in consumer inflation to 2.4 percent in Jan. as compared to 24 percent in the same period last year.
On Saturday, Sharif launched a Rs20 billion ($71.4 million) Ramadan relief package to benefit 4 million families across the South Asian country. The Pakistani government is providing each family Rs5,000 ($17.87) to support them during the holy fasting month.
“This [package] would cover the whole of Pakistan, all provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir,” Sharif said at the launching ceremony.
“This amount will be distributed among deserving people in all these areas through a digital [wallet] system.”


Bear rescued from abuse in Pakistan’s east and relocated to capital for medical treatment

Updated 02 March 2025
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Bear rescued from abuse in Pakistan’s east and relocated to capital for medical treatment

  • The bear, who is 7 and called Rocky, had been kept illegally in Punjab province and abused in 35 fights
  • A team of Four Paws animal welfare group traveled to Pakistan and veterinarians have operated on him

ISLAMABAD: A black bear called Rocky has been rescued from abuse in Pakistan’s east and relocated to the capital for medical treatment, a welfare organization said Sunday.
The bear, who is 7, had been kept illegally in Punjab province and abused in 35 fights. Local authorities intervened to move him to a safer facility.
But the facility could not give him the care he needed and officials relocated Rocky to Islamabad.
A team from Four Paws traveled to Pakistan to help Rocky. Veterinarians operated on him Sunday.
“We were able to release and cut the chain and nose ring,” said Dr. Amir Khalil. “His condition is physically good, but he suffered. He has a fracture in the jaw and has no teeth. We have several wounds on the ear because of the fights and biting by dogs.”
Khalil said bear fighting was cruel and illegal in Pakistan but it was still practiced in some parts of the country.
Pakistan has a troubled history with animal welfare. Last December, an elephant died at a safari park less than two weeks after being reunited with her sister. It was the latest tragedy to affect elephants in captivity in Pakistan.
In 2020, a pair of sick and badly neglected dancing Himalayan brown bears left a notorious zoo in Islamabad for a sanctuary in Jordan.


Pakistan province chief, Afghan consul-general call for efforts to reopen key border crossing

Updated 02 March 2025
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Pakistan province chief, Afghan consul-general call for efforts to reopen key border crossing

  • Pakistan closed Torkham border crossing on Feb. 21 when Afghan authorities initiated ‘construction of trenches and other development work’ along border
  • Torkham serves as a vital crossing for transporting goods from Pakistan to Afghanistan and its closure has affected thousands of traders and travelers

ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan’s Consul-General in Peshawar Mohibullah Shakir and Ali Amin Gandapur, chief minister of Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, on Sunday called for efforts to reopen a key border crossing between the two countries, the closure of which has resulted in suspension of trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Pakistan closed the Torkham border crossing in KP’s Khyber district on Feb. 21 when Afghan authorities initiated “construction of trenches and other development work” along the border, Naheed Khan, a senior police official in the Khyber district, told Arab News last month.
Torkham serves as a vital corridor for transporting goods from Pakistan to Afghanistan and Central Asian countries. Thousands of trucks and vehicles carrying goods, including fruits and vegetables, have been stranded on both sides since the closure of the border, according to Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, a director of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
On Sunday, the Afghan consul-general met CM Gandapur to discuss bilateral trade, regional peace and security, and issues faced by Afghan nationals residing in the northwestern Pakistani province, according to KP CM’s office.
“Discussion took place at the meeting on the difficulties faced by traders and common people on both sides due to the closure of the Pak-Afghan border at Torkham,” CM Gandapur’s office said in a statement.
“[Both figures] agreed on efforts to open the border as soon as possible in view of the month of Ramadan and the upcoming Eid Al-Fitr.”
Both sides have held at least two rounds of talks at Torkham, but negotiations between border officials had failed to yield any results.
“The Torkham border is still closed to all types of traffic. A number of conditions have been set in the negotiations by both the sides for the opening of the road, which will only be opened after both sides agree on these conditions,” Mullah Abdul Jabbar Hikmat, the Afghan commissioner at Torkham, said in a statement on Sunday.
“An announcement will be made when it is opened.”
In the past, border clashes between Pakistani and Afghan forces have led to the closure of key crossings like Torkham and Chaman, severely disrupting trade and halting the movement of people between the two countries.
The development comes at a time of strained ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan over a surge in militants attacks in Pakistan’s western provinces that border Afghanistan.
Islamabad has frequently accused Afghanistan of sheltering and supporting militant groups that launch cross-border attacks. Afghan officials deny involvement and insist that Pakistan’s security issues are an internal matter of Islamabad.
“The closure of the border is not in the interest of the people on both sides, it is causing difficulties to the business people as well as the common people,” CM Gandapur was quoted as saying by his office.
“There is a need to open the border as soon as possible in view of the difficulties faced by the people.”
The KP chief minister said people on both sides of the border were troubled by the current security situation in the region.
“We are making efforts on our part to open the border, the Afghan embassy should also play a role in this regard,” he said. “Regional peace is in the interest of both Pakistan and Afghanistan.”
Gandapur’s statement came hours after the KP administration urged Pakistani federal authorities to approve the Terms of Reference (ToRs) for its talks with Afghanistan on surging militancy “as soon as possible.”
The KP government said in February that it had decided to send two delegations, comprising tribal elders, religious scholars, and political leaders, to Kabul to engage in direct talks with the Afghan Taliban rulers for peace and stability in the province.
It followed a statement by KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, in which he said the security situation in the region was directly linked to “developments in neighboring Afghanistan,” following a consultative meeting of various religious and political parties in the province.
However, Pakistan’s foreign office said it was not informed of KP’s decision to engage in talks with Kabul, adding that external ties with another country fell under the federal government’s jurisdiction.


Health experts advise Pakistanis against consuming deep-fried food in Ramadan

Updated 02 March 2025
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Health experts advise Pakistanis against consuming deep-fried food in Ramadan

  • Pakistan is a predominantly Muslim country where more than 90 percent of its over 240 million people practice Islam
  • The South Asian nation observed the first fast on Sunday, following Taraweeh prayers and pre-dawn suhoor meals

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani health experts have warned about the dangers of deep-fried food in Ramadan meals, Pakistani state media reported on Sunday, as the South Asian country welcomed the holy fasting month.
Fasting in Ramadan, the ninth and the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, is one of the five pillars of Islam and this is the time of the year when religious fervor is rekindled throughout the Muslim world.
Millions of Pakistanis offered special Taraweeh prayers last night and consumed pre-dawn suhoor meals across the nation, marking the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan from Sunday.

Muslims offer the first Tarawih prayers to mark the start of the Islamic holy fasting month of Ramadan at Data Darbar mosque in Lahore, Pakistan, on March 1, 2025. (AP)

As people observed the first fast, health experts urged them to avoid samosas, spring rolls, and fried doughnuts, and opt for healthier alternatives such as grilled meats, steamed vegetables and fresh fruit.
“Fried foods, oily snacks, and rich desserts are a recipe for disaster, especially during Ramadan and these foods can lead to digestive issues, bloating, and discomfort,” Dr. Talha Imad, a Pakistani nutritionist, was quoted as saying by the state-run APP news agency.

Muslims buy fritters for iftar on the first day of the Islamic holy fasting month of Ramadan in Karachi, Pakistan, on March 2, 2025. (AFP)

Pakistan is a predominantly Muslim country where more than 90 percent of its over 240 million people practice Islam, and most of them fast during the holy month.
Experts say deep-fried food is high in calories, fat and sodium, and it is risky to consume it while fasting during Ramadan.
“Fasting during Ramadan can be challenging, and consuming deep-fried foods can exacerbate dehydration, digestive issues, and other health problems,” Dr. Saima Khan said, adding that by making informed food choices, people can ensure a healthy and blessed Ramadan.
“Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection and renewal, and taking care of our physical health is an important part of it.”

A shopkeeper cooks fritters for iftar on the first day of the Islamic holy fasting month of Ramadan in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on March 2, 2025. (AFP)


Dr. Imad advised Pakistanis to break their fast with dates and water to replenish energy and hydration, and to opt for lean proteins, whole grains and steamed vegetables.
“Choose fresh fruits and nuts as healthy snacks,” he said, urging people to limit their intake of sugary drinks and desserts.


Pakistan Cricket Board announces full ticket refunds for rain-washed Champions Trophy matches

Updated 02 March 2025
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Pakistan Cricket Board announces full ticket refunds for rain-washed Champions Trophy matches

  • The matches were due to be played between Australia and South Africa, Bangladesh and Pakistan
  • Ticket holders are eligible for a full refund if a Champion Trophy match is abandoned before toss

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a full ticket refund for Champions Trophy matches that were abandoned without a ball being bowled at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium last month, Pakistani state media reported on Sunday. 
The matches were due to be played between Australia and South Africa on Feb. 25, and Bangladesh and Pakistan on Feb. 27, but rain washed out both games in Rawalpindi.
According to the PCB Ticket Refund Policy for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, ticket holders are eligible for a full refund if a match is abandoned before the toss.
“Ticket holders can claim their refund between 10th to 14th of this month [March],” the state-run Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.
“The purchaser will have to visit a designated outlet along with the original ticket.”
Hosts Pakistan crashed out of the tournament after a humiliating six-wicket loss to archrivals India.
The winner of Sunday’s match between India and New Zealand will play Australia in the semifinal, with the loser taking on South Africa.
Irrespective of the placing and opponent, India will play the first semifinal in Dubai on Tuesday after they refused to travel to Pakistan because of political tensions.
New Zealand will leave for Lahore after Sunday’s match, with the second semifinal to be played at Qaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.