Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday passed sexist remarks against Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, calling him ‘Sahiba’ (miss) during an address in South Waziristan.
“I came into power through struggle and hard work unlike Bilawal Sahiba who, using the will of her mother became the head of the political party,” he said.
Soon after the speech, Twitter was flooded with tweets condemning Imran’s sexist comments against the PPP chairman.
Journalist Marvi Sirmed wrote, “You know Mr. Prime Minister @ImranKhanPTI, you’re such a disgrace for democracy and democratic institutions. You claim to be educated from no less by @UniofOxford but you’ve not learnt even the basic norms of propriety. Great that @BBhuttoZardari is not a toxic male like you.”
You know Mr. Prime Minister @ImranKhanPTI, you're such a disgrace for democracy and democratic institutions. You claim to be educated from no less by @UniofOxford but you've not learnt even the basic norms of propriety. Great that @BBhuttoZardari is not a toxic male like you.
— Marvi Sirmed (@marvisirmed) April 24, 2019
Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari’s daughter Imaan Hazir Mazari tweeted, “Imran Khan only exposed his own deeply embedded misogyny in trying to insult Bilawal Bhutto by calling him “sahiba”, as if being a woman should be used as an insult. Condemnable, shameful and something the PM should retract & apologise for immediately.”
Imran Khan only exposed his own deeply embedded misogyny in trying to insult Bilawal Bhutto by calling him "sahiba", as if being a woman should be used as an insult. Condemnable, shameful and something the PM should retract & apologise for immediately.
— Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir (@ImaanZHazir) April 24, 2019
Activist Gul Bukhari said, “Very, very small. Calling Bilawal Bhutto Sahiba (madam) doesn’t belittle him at all. It just demonstrates Imran Khan’s lowness, indecency, and sexism. An insult to the office of the PM.”
Very, very small. Calling Bilawal Bhutto Sahiba (madam) doesn’t belittle him at all. It just demonstrates Imran Khan’s lowness, indecency, and sexism. An insult to the office of the PM.
#PrimeMinisterImranKhan pic.twitter.com/FnrYQZuuz4
— Gul Bukhari (@GulBukhari) April 24, 2019
Anchorperson Mansoor Ali Khan tried to draw attention to the fact that some of PM Imran’s followers were trying to justify his statements. “The sad part is that some of Imran Khan’s female followers are trying to justify this miserable act,” he tweeted.
The sad part is that some of Imran Khan's female followers are trying to justify this miserable act.
— Mansoor Ali Khan (@_Mansoor_Ali) April 24, 2019
Amidst the heat, comedian Jeremy McLellan tried to make everyone laugh by changing his name to ‘Jeremy McLellan Sahiba’ and saying, “Imran Khan saying “Bilawal Bhutto Sahiba” was obviously a slip of the tongue. People will criticize her for anything. Leave my mother alone.”
Imran Khan saying "Bilawal Bhutto Sahiba" was obviously a slip of the tongue. People will criticize her for anything. Leave my mother alone.
— Jeremy McLellan (@JeremyMcLellan) April 24, 2019
BILAWAL RESPONDS:
In a reference to PM Imran’s comment against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bilawal responded with wit, using the hashtag #PMSelect. “What was that about small men in big offices? #PMSelect,” Bilawal tweeted.
What was that about small men in big offices? #PMSelect
— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) April 24, 2019
