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‘Not gender specific’: Khawaja Asif clarifies ‘garbage’ remarks

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  • Kh Asif says his remark “did not have any gender specification”. 
  • Minister says it was “their” choice to see his remark in wrong context.
  • He says he will apologise if Imran does for remarks against Maryam.

Federal Minister for Defence Khawaja Mohammad Asif, who found himself in the centre of a controversy — not for the first time — for the derogatory remarks towards the women parliamentarians, clarified his stance on Thursday, saying that it was nothing “gender specific”.

In a heated speech during Tuesday’s joint sitting of parliament, the defence minister termed the female senators “koora karkat (trash),” “garbage,” and “leftovers” of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.

“This is the garbage left here, which has to be cleaned. Depraved women should not lecture on chastity,” Asif had said, drawing huge outburst of negative reactions from politicians and commoners alike.

Today, after the Senate passed the Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill 2023, the defence was allowed to speak in reference to his discriminatory remarks. 

He said that PTI Senator Ali Zafar had objected to the passage of bills on Tuesday, saying that the government was bulldozing the laws. 

“I referred to the night when 54 bills were passed in one or two minutes; the people [involved in it] who have done the same should not lecture us on it.

“To dilate this, I made a remark which did not have any gender specification in it. Absolutely not,” Asif said.

He said it was “their” choice if they wanted to see his remark in the wrong context, stressing it was “not a gender-specific remark” on his behalf.

The minister went on to say that when it comes to gender equality in the house, the men parliamentarians never protested the remarks made against them.

“If they claim gender equality, then they should tolerate such references,” he added.

Hearing this, the opposition members again protested and demanded an apology from Asif.

When Asif was again allowed to speak, he said that he would add only one thing the PTI chief had passed derogatory remarks against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz as well.

“I’ll apologise if they apologise for what their leader said about Maryam Nawaz,” Asif said.

He reiterated, it was not a gender-specific remark, and it should have been heard or read in the correct context.

“I did not make any remark against the women. There were men parliamentarians sitting over there but they didn’t see that these remarks were for them as well,” he said, adding that the remarks were directed collectively towards the entire opposition’s presence.

He said that the remarks were wrongly branded as gender specific.

After this, the Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani ended the debate by saying that the minister had clarified his stance.

However, the PTI senators walked out of the House in protest of Asif’s remarks. 

Sherry Rehman ‘sorry’ for not stopping women’s insult

Following the outcry over Asif’s Tuesday remarks, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Sherry Rehman said, she “would have intervened to stop women Parliamentarians from being insulted,” if she had listened to the debate inside the house.

“Of COURSE I was not smiling at the remarks. That was about how pleased I was at the consensus I got in cabinet for the climate plan, which took many nights to get done. Had I heard the remarks of course I would have intervened. My bad,” she wrote on Twitter. 

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Reaction to the PTI protest call by Fazlur Rehman

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Maulana Fazlur Rehman, speaking on a private television station, said that the PTI is always coming to the streets, which really lessens the impact of a protest.

He also suggested to the PTI leadership that rather than carrying on with the agitation, it should finally put a hard hand down, which would be the final nail in the coffin.

He continued, citing the JUI protests as an example, saying, “We had a strong grip over our protesters and workers, so neither road was closed nor any property damage occurred during protests.”

The PTI has the right to protest, but Maulana Fazlur Rehman described the party’s agitation strategy as insufficient, stating that it is currently being “exposed which maynot be a good sign’.

Ali Amin Gandapur, the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, promised not to go back home unless the PTI founder was freed. During their demonstration, Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, encouraged the party officials to come up with strategies to avoid being arrested.

According to an alleged audio recording, she stated that November 24 will be a loyalty test for PTI members.

Additionally, the government of Islamabad has enforced section 144 for a period of two months, which prohibits processions, rallies, demonstrations, and meetings of five or more individuals in the city.

As per the notification, the prohibition forbade meetings in any public space inside the boundaries of Islamabad, including the Red Zone, which encompasses important government buildings, diplomatic missions, and other sensitive sites.

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PTI representatives conjecture in the media over Imran’s approval of bail: FIA investigator

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The hearing on the PTI founder’s bail application in the Toshakhana-2 case has resumed at the Islamabad High Court (IHC), with Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb serving as the presider.

The hearing was attended by the defense attorney, Barrister Salman Safdar, and FIA prosecutor Zulfiqar Abbas Naqvi.

Judge Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb told the FIA prosecutor to “leave the media alone and exempt yourself from them” in order to avoid commenting on the media. The statement followed the prosecutor’s assertion that the bail would be granted, which had previously been reported by media sources.

In addition, the court questioned whether the receipts in question were issued in the name of Bushra Bibi or the PTI founder itself. Bushra Bibi’s name was on the receipts listed in the challan, according to Barrister Salman Safdar.

Defense arguments
The defense expressed displeasure about the case’s 3.5-year registration wait. The prosecution has swore in Sohaib Abbasi and made Inamullah Shah a crucial witness without requiring them to take an oath.

Barrister Salman Safdar highlighted that multiple agencies, including NAB, FIA, Police, and the Election Commission, have initiated actions related to the Toshakhana case, suggesting procedural redundancy.

Regarding a phony Toshakhana receipt, he contended, the Kohsar Police Station has also filed a case.

Position of the prosecution
The FIA prosecutor, Umair Majeed Malik, maintained that the valuation of the jewelry set mentioned in the case would be explained in the prosecution’s evidence.Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb remarked, “If the media does not spread sensationalism, how will they conduct their business?” He dismissed rumors about his health, stating that he was present and hearing the case despite such reports.

Status of Co-Accused
The court was informed that Bushra Bibi, a co-accused in the case, is currently on interim bail and awaiting a decision by Judge Afzal Majuka. Barrister Salman Safdar expressed hope that Judge Majuka would soon announce his verdict.

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Naqvi visits Fazl to express gratitude for contributions to the 26th amendment.

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Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi convened with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman to deliberate on issues of shared concern and the current political landscape in the nation.

In today’s meeting in Islamabad, Mr. Naqvi asked about Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s health and sent his best wishes for the JUI chief’s well-being and future pursuits.

Naqvi extended his appreciation to Maulana Fazlur Rehman for his crucial contribution to the enactment of the 26th Constitutional Amendment, which he characterised as a significant milestone in Pakistan’s legislative history.

Following the meeting, Naqvi commended Mr. Fazlur Rehman’s commitment to the nation, asserting, “Maulana Fazlur Rehman has consistently prioritised Pakistan’s interests, and his contributions to the country are indispensable.”

The experienced politician reaffirmed his dedication to Pakistan and its populace, stating, “Our priority has consistently been Pakistan and the well-being of its citizens.”

Senator Kamran Murtaza attended the meeting.

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