Jemima Goldsmith slams ex-husband Imran Khan over rape remarks

Islamabad, April 8

The recent statement by the Pakistani premier Imran Khan about the increasing rape and sexual cases in the country has sparked uproar not within the country but also from across the globe. To add more to his criticism, his former wife Jemima Goldsmith has also slammed him over his rape remarks.

In a response to Khan's comments, Jemima did not mince words and blasted her former husband for stating that it is the women's dress and vulgarity that has given rise to rape cases.

"Say to the believing men that they restrain their eyes and guard their private parts." Quran 24:31. The onus is on men", maintained Jemima, citing a verse from the Holy Quran to school the Pakistani premier.

Jemima also went on to express her surprise over what she called 'a a transformation' in the viewpoints of her former spouse, hoping that it was a mistranslation.

"I'm hoping this is a misquote/mistranslation. The Imran I knew used to say, put a veil on the man's eyes not on the woman," she said.

Pakistani Prime Minister has come under serious criticism on social media outlets along with local and global media, after he linked fahashi (vulgarity) being practised in female attire as the reason behind the rise in the cases of sexual violence, including rape.

"The whole concept of pardah or covering up or modesty, in Islam, is to keep the temptation in check. There are many such people in society who cannot keep their willpower in check and that it had to manifest itself in some way", he said responding to a question about his government's planned steps to curb the increasing sexual violence, especially against children.

"Divorce rates have gone up by as much as 70 per cent due to vulgarity in the society. There are some fights that government legislation alone could not win. The society must join in," he added.

Khan's comments blaming females attires, linking it to vulgarity and the root cause of the rise in rape and sexual assault in the country, sparked widespread condemnation by the locals, who declared the statement of premier as 'irresponsible' and 'insensitive'.

Khan's comments however are not new, as he has given similar reasons for banning apps like TikTok, which he said were harming society's values. However, Khan has badly failed in addressing the root cause of the problem.

Last year, Imran Khan had said that India's capital New Delhi, had become the rape capital of the world due to obscenity and indecent content shown in Bollywood films.

While Khan may have the habit of ignoring the root cause of increasing cases of sexual abuse and rape in Pakistan, locals are up in arms to put his statement to rest.

"Such suggestions reflect a warped sense of morality and insensitivity towards a serious problem. More dangerously, they try and provide justifications for the increasing incidence of sexual crimes in Pakistan", stated senior journalist Zahid Hussain.--IANS