Pakistani Prime Minister's Controversial Remarks: "To Prevent Sexual Violence, Dress Modestly"

▲Imran Khan, Prime Minister of Pakistan [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] Imran Khan, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, has sparked controversy by stating that women's clothing can provoke sexual violence.

According to the British BBC broadcast on the 8th, Prime Minister Khan said in a live TV interview last weekend, "Not everyone has willpower, so women should dress modestly to eliminate temptation."

He added, "If our religion requires wearing a veil, isn't there a philosophy behind it to maintain the family system and protect society?"

Pakistan has Islam as its state religion.

During a two-hour live TV Q&A session, Khan responded to the question, "What measures has the government taken to prevent sexual violence?" with the above remarks.

After condemning crimes against women and children, he also said, "Sexual violence is a result of the increase in pornography in India, the West, and Hollywood movies."

Following Khan's remarks, women's groups, human rights organizations, and citizens strongly criticized him.

They said, "The Prime Minister misunderstands the causes of sexual violence," and "His remarks have promoted a culture of rape."

Pakistan's Human Rights Commission issued a statement saying, "He showed an astonishing ignorance about why and how rape occurs and shifted the blame onto rape survivors."

Meanwhile, last month, a Pakistani court sentenced two men to death for gang-raping a female driver on a highway in front of her children.

At the time, the victim was driving on the road with her two children when her car ran out of fuel. She stopped and asked a relative for help, but two men approached, broke the car window, dragged her out, and gang-raped her in front of the children.

When the local police chief said, "The victim was driving at night without a male guardian," shifting the blame onto the victim, women in major cities took to the streets to protest and call for an end to violence.

As the protests did not subside, the Pakistani government introduced the Chemical Castration Act (sexual impulse drug treatment) in December last year and established special courts dedicated to sexual crimes, ensuring that serious cases are swiftly tried within four months of the incident.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.