New Delhi: Jemima Goldsmith, British screenwriter and former wife of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, criticised him for blaming “vulgarity” in society for the rise in rape cases and sexual violence in Pakistan.
Quoting the Qu’ran, she tweeted Wednesday: “Say to the believing men that they restrain their eyes and guard their private parts…The onus is on men.”
And yes, yes 24.30. You get the point.
— Jemima Goldsmith (@Jemima_Khan) April 7, 2021
She later added: “The Imran I knew used to say, ‘Put a veil on the man’s eyes not on the woman’.”
Khan has been facing criticism for his “insensitive” comments made over the weekend. During a televised question-answer session with the public Sunday, a caller had asked the prime minister what his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led government is doing about rising sexual violence, particularly against children.
The cricketer-turned-politician replied that the concept of ‘pardah’ in Islam is intended to “keep temptation in check” because “not everyone has willpower”, he said. “Fahashi (vulgarity)” is to blame for the rise in cases of sexual violence in Pakistan, Khan was quoted as saying.
He even took a dig at India as he said the country is witnessing similar situations after its film industry started taking “inspiration from Hollywood”. “Delhi has now become a rape capital,” Khan said.
He criticised Hindi films for “deterioration in the society” and “rising cases of divorce”, even as he also pointed fingers at “rampant divorce cases” in Britain today compared to the time when he spent a significant number of years as a student in that country.
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‘It is the same Imran…’
Responding to Goldsmith’s tweets, Husain Haqqani, former Pakistan ambassador to the US and Director (South and Central Asia) at Hudson Institute, said: “Nah! It is the same Imran Khan who, after attending Oxford himself and with his sons studying where their mother lives, criticizes Pakistanis who send their kids to study in England. Also, the same Imran who supports Taliban, refuses to acknowledge his daughter, Tyrian & more.”
Nah! It is the same Imran Khan who, after attending Oxford himself and with his sons studying where their mother lives, criticizes Pakistanis who send their kids to study in England. Also, the same Imran who supports Taliban, refuses to acknowledge his daughter, Tyrian & more ??♂️ https://t.co/cWNMZEEhIz
— Husain Haqqani (@husainhaqqani) April 7, 2021
Sociologist Nida Kirmani responded to Goldsmith’s comments by saying: “Must be very difficult and painful to think you spent so many years with a man who could say such things.”
Must be very difficult and painful to think you spent so many years with a man who could say such things.
— Nida Kirmani (@NidaKirmani) April 7, 2021
Pakistani-American attorney and New York Times best-selling author Rabia Chaudry commented that “no one should be taking religious advice from this gentleman anyway”.
Goldsmith, who is the daughter of late British billionaire Sir James Goldsmith, and Khan had been married for nine years from 1995 to 2004. They have two sons — Suleiman and Kasim.
“My political life made it difficult for her (Goldsmith) to adapt to life in Pakistan,” Khan had said while announcing their divorce at the time.
According to official data, at least 11 cases of rape are reported in Pakistan every 24 hours, and nearly 22,000 such cases have been reported to the police over the last six years.
(Edited by Sanghamitra Mazumdar)
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