ISLAMABAD: Female legislators have strongly condemned the misogynist remarks by Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) member Javed Latif after a scuffle with Murad Saeed of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Latif was on Thursday embroiled in a scuffle with Saeed in the lobby of the parliament. He had criticised inside the House the remarks of PTI chairman Imran Khan on foreign players in the recently-concluded Pakistan Super League.
Saeed took exception and asked to respond but was denied by the deputy speaker who was chairing the parliamentary session. Both scuffled outside the parliament over the matter.
This escalated further after Latif, while speaking to media, made highly insensitive and derogatory remarks against the family members of Saeed.
The remarks did not bode well for the female legislators who expressed deep regret and condemnation over the misogynist remarks by Latif.
“He (Javed Latif) should come to our Pashtun tribe and apologise to us,” said Sajida Begum of the PTI. “He does not deserve to be a MNA, his seat should be cancelled,” she added.
PML-N’s Shakila Luqman was of the opinion that any conflict between men should not drag family members particularly women in it.
Jamaat-e-Islami leader Ayesha termed the remarks shameful and said that the matter took place inside parliament and went to the extent of hurling remarks at women.
Similar sentiments were expressed by Shams-un-nissa and Sehar Kamran of the Pakistan People’s Party, who said an apology was insufficient and the Speaker should take further action.
“He (Latif) will have to visit Murad’s area and apologise to him over there,” said PTI’s Nafeesa Khattak who said the matter cannot be diffused there and will be resolved by a tribal jirga.
Zeb Jaffar who also belongs to PML-N said that matter was embarrassing for the party, and the language used by Latif was highly inappropriate. She called on party’s leadership to take necessary action.
The PTI has called for a social boycott of Latif and barred party’s members from appearing at any public forum with Latif.
