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Federal minister Ali Amin Gandapur's sexist comments about Maryam Nawaz stir anger and disgust on Twitter

Federal minister Ali Amin Gandapur's sexist comments about Maryam Nawaz stir anger and disgust on Twitter

Pakistan is still reeling from a series of vicious acts of violence against women. Read the room, minister.
24 Jul, 2021

At a time when Pakistan is still reeling from a series of vicious acts of violence against women, we have yet another sexist statement against a woman to add to the string of such remarks by politicians. Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Ali Amin Gandapur has taken aim at PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz and fired off a series of sexist remarks, including claims that she has had plastic surgery worth millions.

Speaking at a public rally in Kashmir, Gandapur called Maryam a "daku rani [queen of thieves]" and claimed she had plastic surgery done worth Rs80 million and that he would "reveal her real face".

"I have a lot more to say but I will only say this to her (Maryam) that if we come to slap then you will get slapped so much that your [real] face will be uncovered from the Rs80 million [cosmetic] surgery you have done from our [tax] money."

The federal minister railed against her, saying, "Your grandfather's [blacksmithing] shop in Gawalmandi didn't have as much iron as the 32-kilogramme jewellery you were wearing when your father [PML-N supremo] Nawaz Sharif invited Modi for a wedding."

This isn't the first time he has made sexist remarks about Maryam. In November 2020, he spoke at a rally in Gilgit-Baltistan where he said, “She is beautiful but she spent millions on her surgeries from the taxpayers’ money”. He also said that if he picked anyone from the crowd and spent just a little from the taxpayers’ money on their surgeries they would look handsome like Hollywood actors Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise.

A video clip of the minister's speech was shared on Twitter and led to widespread outrage.

Lawyer Reema Omer posted the video and said that the PTI should know that as long as Gandapur remains a federal minister, its claims of its “commitment” to women’s human rights and equality will ring hollow.

PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif called Gandapur's words "not only violent but also deeply misogynistic".

Journalist Matiullah Jan urged the Azad Kashmir election commission to take notice of the speech.

Users called on Federal Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi to take notice of the speech, given that they had tweeted earlier about the murder of Noor Mukdam and the safety of women in Pakistan.

Former ambassador to the UN Maleeha Lodhi called Gandapur's speech "shocking beyond belief".

Several journalists also took to Twitter to call him out for his deeply sexist views.

Users likened Pakistan's politicians to inter-fighting goons. "Somebody hand them their pacifiers inko mulk chalanay k lye kyun rkha hai [why have we kept them to run our country?"

Some users went after the incumbent PTI government and said misogyny cannot be justified "on the account of economy when people feel uncomfortable even in their own homes."

One user said this patriarchal culture must be challenged lest it produces more Zahir Jaffers. Jaffer is the man who has been arrested on charges of murdering Mukadam.

Former senator Ayesha Raza Farooq said the minister must be held accountable for this.

ANP's Samar Bilour Haroon urged Maryam to rise above the "vile narrative" and reminded everyone that women across the country are feeling especially threatened in light of the recent acts of violence against women.

Pakistan has a culture of violence against women, said one user.

Lawyer and activist Jibran Nasir said the prime minister endorses this kind of behaviour.

As women across the country mourn the insecurity they face, Gandapur chooses to make vile public threats against a female politician, said academic Ammar Ali Jan.

Gandapur's words aren't surprising, nor are the countless tweets and comments in support of his statement. The blinders are off and Pakistan — and its women in particular — have come to realise that there are people in this country with deeply sexist and deeply violent attitudes towards women.

Regardless of your politics, saying sexist things against any person is wrong. Politics has devolved into little more than glorified name calling in the past couple of weeks and it's troubling to see people supporting Gandapur's misogynistic statement. At a time when the country is crying for protection for its women, we have a federal minister inciting hatred against a female politician and being unbelievably sexist. If you want to call her out for her alleged corruption, do that, but why must you bash her appearance and resort to character assassination?

Pakistanis are calling for the creation of a safer space for women and you, Ali Amin Gandapur, are still making sexist statements at a public rally. Read the room, minister.

Comments

Sara Jul 24, 2021 03:00pm
So low telling the truth is anti-women? Calling a thief is anti woman? PMLN can not hide their corruption and looting from Pakistani people under feminism non sense.
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Fastrack Jul 24, 2021 03:04pm
The whole PMLN call PMIK's wife as "Pinkie Pirni". Kindly criticise them as well some time. Anytime?
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Fastrack Jul 24, 2021 03:05pm
What do they say about IK's wife, Dr Firdous, Sheereen etc? Despicable losers.
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Owais Jul 24, 2021 03:15pm
This guy is unfortunately a reflection and representative of IK's mindset and approach, showing dark side of the PTI's image and politics.
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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Jul 24, 2021 03:18pm
Who says there is no freedom of speech, press and expression in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan?
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Sane Mind1st Jul 24, 2021 03:24pm
Pakistan mein ye sab chalta ha.
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Asad Jul 24, 2021 03:49pm
This is the selected lot in new Pakistan, beads in one hand could not stop the abuse from mouth. Thanks to the selectors of Liberals. But we 99% of Pakistanis do not deserve this.
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Love Your Country Jul 24, 2021 03:50pm
Use voters power in next elections to kick such idiots out.
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Shujaat Khan Jul 24, 2021 04:11pm
Why is this man minister of Kashmir affairs and Gilgit-Baltistsn? Couldn't they find a local who knows more about their issues?
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Salman Jul 24, 2021 04:25pm
Haha what is sexist about cosmetic surgery? Guys do the same procedure. Stop trying to mince words.
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Aziz Jul 24, 2021 04:35pm
Can someone please investigate what was the surgery not available in Pakistan for which Maryam wanted to travel abroad?
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M. Saeed Jul 24, 2021 04:39pm
@Sara Jhoot. No women can be so anti-women for any reason.
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M. Saeed Jul 24, 2021 04:42pm
@Fastrack nobody said anything bad ever about Imran's first wife Jimaima. Then, he had marriages of convenience twice.
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M. Saeed Jul 24, 2021 04:44pm
The minister in the country of honey in win bottles!
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NoVoice Jul 24, 2021 04:53pm
That this sorry excuse for a man is the Minister for Kashmir Affairs, chosen by IK, shows how important Kashmir issue really is to this Government. You choose a gangster than no one would be comfortable inviting in their home, and expect rest of world to take your side for Kashmir. First look inwards!
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Shahan Jul 24, 2021 05:00pm
@Fastrack Is PML-N a sitting govt, please write some sense. Someone or party sitting in govt has more responsibilty to behave. Sadly PTI supporters lack such basic understanding
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Shahan Jul 24, 2021 05:02pm
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Perhaps you never understood the whole case. The govt is always free to say whatever they wish to say, the restrictions are on entities that are against the govt's narrative
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Asif A. Shah Jul 24, 2021 05:03pm
There is an urgent need for civility in our politics.
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Umar Jul 24, 2021 05:04pm
How come all PTI haters show up on such debates. I dont think he said anything that it out of the ordinary in our politics, you can find many people in her party who do the same, like rana sana, talal chaudary, abid sher ali, rohail asghar
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Naveed Jul 24, 2021 05:06pm
I agree with gandapur
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Kashif Baloch Jul 24, 2021 05:16pm
Read somewhere that he is a comfort fellow for the PM and PM is in love with his long hair.
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Uuuu Jul 24, 2021 05:21pm
@Fastrack I think you should also spoke against your General Rani
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Masood Abbas Jul 24, 2021 05:40pm
Disgrace to PTI for retaining such ugly character in the cabinet and party
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F Nawaz Jul 24, 2021 05:45pm
Form a commission to find out if she did use public money. Then we can talk about this.
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Irfan Huq Jul 24, 2021 05:45pm
@Owais It is his mouth but I k's mind
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Ameer Ahmed Jul 24, 2021 05:50pm
Deep Pockets again
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Syed Jul 24, 2021 06:18pm
@Sara can any one wear 32 kg of gold? Is it the truth you are talking about. I don't like PML or it's policies, but please call a spade a spade.
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AHAQ Jul 24, 2021 06:20pm
@M. Saeed Jemima received death threats from PMLN goonda's when she was living in Pakistan
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Akhtar Husain Jul 24, 2021 06:31pm
Would somebody please tell our ill-informed Govt team that Sharifs owned the country’s biggest steel industry wayback in 1971. I visited Ittefaq Foundries in my industrial visit as a student and saw heavy machinery, including sugar mills, being manufactured there. It is surprising non of the Govt team members know these basic facts!! I request our premier newspaper “the Dawn” to run an article on this topic.
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Luvknight Jul 24, 2021 07:07pm
Which part of the speech is anti women/patriarchal? May be I missed something, but what I can see here is he is responding to they lady's threat of slapping people in his own way. Or, maybe calling her a dacoit queen (the family did suck the Pakistan dry) or commenting on face surgery is so offensive that it is construed as anti-women!
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Mona Jul 24, 2021 07:09pm
Vile and sickening. But so is this entire government. What can decent people do abut it except curse them?
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Chrís Dăn Jul 24, 2021 07:21pm
@Sara this is what self made dynasty&their followers/slaves think so. Merkel, Ursula,in EU face as many taunts and banter as Macron. Pha.
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NYS Jul 24, 2021 07:23pm
Disgusting Mind your language
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Ghani K Jul 24, 2021 07:30pm
Mrs. Maryam Safdar , in politics sometimes you get mud pie on the face. Some of your comments too were unethical especially talking about two sons of Imran K.
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Faizan Khan Jul 24, 2021 07:57pm
You mean some radical liberals on Twitter got mad. He said nothing wrong, it didn't call for violence nor was it remotely sexist. Just because you're choosing to amplify the voice of radical liberals doesn't mean this is what most Pakistanis think.
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Zak Jul 24, 2021 08:02pm
Maryam nawaz deserved every bit of it. She has abused children, jews, divorced women and lied, cheated, disrespected pakistan and its people. She belongs to no gender but simply evil.
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Adil Malik Jul 24, 2021 08:37pm
Antisemitism's fad and fashion that has become a yardstick to measure anti racial and anti religious awareness through 5th. Avenue's powerful PR machinery's campaigns going back to the 1950's is now abashedly with such audacity uttered by none other than the Muslim leaders of Pakistan while the entire 1.3 billion Muslims are labeled as backward ignorant terrorists with zero opposition by these ignorant self righteous wanna be aligned with the west's fads and fashions block headed nincompoops of Pakistan! Shame on your slew footed self pity! By projecting yourself as the equal to the New York's Zionist machinery you will never be accepted equal to the Talmudic teachings as "chosen" while the rest are bunch of Goyim cockroaches etc. Look in the mirror what do you see?
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Haroon Temueri Jul 24, 2021 09:03pm
If telling the truth means sexist remarks then be it besides in English you may have heard this “can’t stand the heat get out of the kitchen “
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Fastfriend Jul 24, 2021 09:37pm
The nation has to decide whether to go with the corrupt culture and practices or to throw away the system and those involved to be punished and looted money to be recovered. It is irrelevant to discuss anything else.
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SAYED JEHAN Jul 24, 2021 10:06pm
MN is using street language in her speeches all the time . She does not know how to be decent and civil. She uses indecent language against her opponents and their families. This is all she is good at. What is her contribution to the country except that she is the daughter of a corrupt ex PM. In public life there is no immunity.
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Chaudhry Jul 24, 2021 10:30pm
This shows the lower ebb of our politics.
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amer Jul 24, 2021 10:56pm
freedom of expression anyone?
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Nasir S. Jul 24, 2021 11:00pm
It's now about who says what. It's about what people win power say and do as they have to set a better example for the nation. People look upt to them and exepxt them to behave in a better way then all the others. If this is the example they want is to follow then so be it.
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Bila Jul 24, 2021 11:22pm
This man is not even Worthy of a party member and unfortunately IK has made him a minister.
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Chrís Dăn Jul 24, 2021 11:32pm
@Adil Malik what you are trying to say?
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Naveed Khan Jul 24, 2021 11:49pm
It may be sexist but laying bare their corruption is not that bad. Pakistan doesn't belong only to the elites of twitter.
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Hope786 Jul 25, 2021 12:06am
He speaks what's on IK's mind. IK what a shame you have become for Pakistan. A man with no respect for women and whom can't stand criticism. YOU and your goons are at the lowest point of their lives. Shame on you!
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M. Saeed Jul 25, 2021 12:18am
@AHAQ PML(N) was not in power during the time. Threats were always from TTP.
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Abrar Jul 25, 2021 12:38am
The real problem is PTI leasers and supporters think it is okay and it doesn;t even matter to them because it is said against their rival, and they are justifying it .
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WokeMedia Jul 25, 2021 12:48am
Kuch zyda nahi hota jaa raha aajkal? Telling the truth is frowned upon? What world are we living in? This woke culture will be the death of freedom.
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Sid Jul 25, 2021 01:09am
Where is Reema Omar when PMLN leaders are meeting the enemies of Pakistan? - This woman is a mouth piece for anti Pakistan - she needs to reassess her loyalties!
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AW Jul 25, 2021 02:39am
Please don’t confuse things and read too much into it. Ali Amin Gandapur simply said the truth about Maryam and her family and the truth is bitter
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Fareed ashraf Jul 25, 2021 02:44am
Maybe Maryam Nawaz deserves this treatment?
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Uzair Jul 25, 2021 03:02am
Define sexism, and highlight how what he said is sexist. It simply doesn't fit. That said, is respectable? No. But, the whole lot of politicians we have in Pakistan are less than respectable. What else do you expect? Be it gandapur or maryam, all you have is 3rd class politicians.
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Fiaz Jul 25, 2021 03:09am
I like this guy calling a spade is spade.truth hurts the pml is full of goons who think.they are godfather of the country and not public servants.and use pretty words to deceive and cheat the people
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El Cid Jul 25, 2021 04:00am
Disgusting! Shameless!! Loathsome!!!
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Zak Jul 25, 2021 04:54am
@Akhtar Husain Then why did shebaz sharif and nawaz sharif say they were dirt poor and came from a very poor family. How they suddenly got their wealth and why nawaz sharif not giving money trail to Avenfield house in london. Grow up from student days.
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Gur chawala Jul 25, 2021 05:27am
Mr Gandapur should keep his comments private least the skeletons in his closet go public.
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Trader JJ Jul 25, 2021 06:00am
This is the cream of your society. Congrats.
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Independent Thinker Jul 25, 2021 06:20am
He is just following IK’s lead. If the prime minister of the country thinks that women should dress like his wife to prevent rape, what do you expect of his underlings?
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MG Jul 25, 2021 06:34am
This was always in news.....for wrong reasons.
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Syed Raiyan Zafar Jul 25, 2021 06:48am
This time it's less of sexist comments and more of the same old run around the mill about ill gotten wealth of the Nawazs.
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Sam Jul 25, 2021 07:41am
I don't get why people calling opposition thief or accusing them of corruption on these forums don't bring their cases to the court of law. IK and PTI's narrative is no longer sticking and if anything it only proves how they cheated and lied to the people of Pakistan.
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Rami Jul 25, 2021 08:13am
Nothing compare to disgusting cursing about a mother that sher abid Ali did in London! He is a pmln nawaz party minister who is over staying a visa, in UK!
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Shad Jul 25, 2021 09:17am
She can blame her father, brothers and herself for such remarks. No sympathies for looters and she herself is involved in corruption. Pls dont play women card here. When her father and uncle were talking about Bhutto family with similar words there was no disgust from anybody.
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Salman Jul 25, 2021 09:32am
Gandapur is spot on. He is telling the truth as is.
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D’Souza Jul 25, 2021 09:54am
This shows how ill mannered the Pakistanis are. They need to be disciplined the whole nation.
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Gfg Jul 25, 2021 11:23am
When she says PM himself nalaik selected etc and his Children Yhudi there is no issue with that and his companion pass a sexist remarks its an issue?
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Abid Jul 25, 2021 11:27am
Mariam Nawaz using Plastic surgery to cover the corrupted corruption face
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M. Saeed Jul 25, 2021 12:42pm
Is Gundpur or ganda?
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Laila Jul 25, 2021 12:43pm
I believe there is a saying, don't blame the player, blame the game. He is a product of the misogynist culture that is normalized across Pakistan across social economic state and classes. This is not the first occurance. Even some of our female politicians like Firdous Ashiq Awan participate in denigrating and attacking fellow women politicians like this. Don't act shocked. Do something about this.
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M. Saeed Jul 25, 2021 12:44pm
@Shad, time changes
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M. Saeed Jul 25, 2021 12:45pm
A dishonest and cheater is, what a u-turner is with vengeance.
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Jigen Jul 25, 2021 05:18pm
This has nothing to do with misogyny. The guy is clearly pointing out that Maryam Nawaz and her family stole Pakistan’s money to undergo expensive and unnecessary cosmetic medical procedures.
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Sabah Jul 25, 2021 08:18pm
This is simply in bad taste by everyone involved. Can we please bring some dignity and etiquette back in public discourse? As the ones in government, kindly take the high road and not keep stooping to such low levels. Act like statesmen and set a good example for the country to follow.
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Saeed Jul 25, 2021 09:55pm
This guy needs to come out of the closet rather than being jealous of any woman
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Mustafa Jul 25, 2021 11:25pm
It's maybe because of some over dosage of honey otherwise he Mr Ali Ameen is a decent fellow!
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Shahid Tanvir Jul 26, 2021 05:23am
compare this with what Nawaz sharif has done with Benezir then where these critics stand??
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raheel Jul 26, 2021 06:09am
There was no outrage when PMLN's Khawarja Asif famously called a PTI female minister, a tractor trolley in the parliament?
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raheel Jul 26, 2021 06:15am
Dirty politics is a trademark of PMLN but when they get it thrown at them, then our liberal brigade rise up and raise there voices.
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raheel Jul 26, 2021 06:16am
The outrage and condemnation of Ali Amin Gandapur is selectively applied. I remind you of the khawarja Asif calling a PTI female minister, a tractor trolley.
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Multani Jul 26, 2021 07:54am
Very crude person, no class, unfit to be a real leader.
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Triple A Jul 26, 2021 11:07am
Playing feminism card is so easy these days, and the issue is if someone is using it in the wrong way and you try to point it out, you will be labelled as misogynist. If you come into politics, be it man or women, you will be criticized (and not in a decent manner). Name-calling someone based on their personal appearances and relationships is absolutely wrong but in politics, nothing is right anyways. My point is, these abuses are faced by men as well in politics, so either talk about the overall current political culture to stop or leave it as it is instead of picking a particular event for point-scoring purposes.
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Waheed Khan Jul 27, 2021 01:28am
Case of the pot calling the kettle black.
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Tamza Jul 27, 2021 08:29am
when you get into a DIRTY FIGHT expect to get mud on you. Women and men have to have a thick skin to be in politics. Dont keep pulling the misogyny card all the time. He may be crude, but the does not make him a misogynist.
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