Pakistan writes to HBO admin over PM interview cuts
June 23, 2021 02:00 AM
Pakistan has opted for raising the matter of airing an edited-out version of Prime Minister Imran Khan's interview on HBO with its administration, 24NewsHD TV Channel reported on Tuesday.
The report cited sources as saying the Ministry of Information wrote a letter to the admin of American news channel on cutting short the premier's remarks on sexual harassment.
The ministry's External Publicity Wing also mentioned expunging premier's statement on Hinduwata from the interview, the insiders said, adding that the state TV has the complete version of the interview.
The HBO interview sparked a global controversy over Imran's cut-short statement on women wears and invited ire among civil society and opposition parties especially women lawmakers of the country.
Opposition came down hard on the premier over his replies in the interview. The PPP chairperson said the premier should be careful as costumes have no connection with the crimes like rape and other such offences. Former Pakistani ambassador to US and opposition lawmaker Sherry Rehman took to Twitter to condemn the PM statement.
"Whether it’s our laws or even our religion, which is very clear that respect for women is the responsibility of the beholder, no man has the right to blame women or how they dress, for violence, rape and crimes against women. Shocked that our PM is doing this. Does IK not know that by saying women should dress a certain way, he is giving oppressors and criminals against women a new narrative to justify their behaviour. There is NO justification for a prime minister to talk this way. Highly irresponsible and condemnable."
A minister, Shehla Raza, said Imran Khan should think about the issues facing by the country and he should not have said this while sitting on the seat of the state premier. The government team too came out to defend the premier pointing to the edited out stance.