ISLAMABAD: The Women’s Action Forum (WAF) has asked Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar to “issue a public apology to the women of Pakistan” after he gave a speech having a quote, slammed as being sexist, by Winston Churchill.
An open letter issued on Tuesday read: “The WAF Karachi, through this letter, calls on you to issue a public apology to the women of Pakistan; recognise the rampant sexism and under-representation of women in the legal profession and judiciary; and take immediate steps to provide a harassment-free environment for women in the profession and those who engage with it.”
During the speech made on January 13, 2018, in Karachi, the CJP had quoted former British prime minister Winston Churchill: “A good speech should be like a woman’s skirt; long enough to cover the subject and short enough to create interest.”
The statement further said: “On January 13, 2018, during your speech at a judicial conference in Karachi, you quoted Winston Churchill, comparing a good speech to the length of a woman’s skirt. Reliance on this quote reveals deep-rooted sexism and double standards women are held to which discourage women from joining the legal profession due to this hostile mindset towards them.”
Earlier on Monday, a group of female lawyers had released a statement registering protest against the CJP’s comment.
They urged the CJP and senior lawyers to “choose their words with greater care in the future”.