Aurat March Karachi has called for the resignation or a public apology from Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Maryam Nawaz over her remarks regarding the alleged victim of the Punjab College incident.
During a press conference addressing the matter, Maryam stated that the girl had not been raped and is ‘paak saaf’ (pure), equating a woman’s worth with her honour.
“Public officials must never echo the same repulsive justifications used by rapists and murderers in the name of “honour,” wrote the organisation
“As a non-partisan feminist movement that believes in calling out misogyny regardless of someone’s political affiliations, we at Aurat March Karachi demand that @maryamnawazofficial either issue a public apology or resign as she’s unfit to represent the public while disregarding the safety, rights and dignity of survivors of sexual violence,” it added.
The incident
Reports of a female student’s rape by a guard at a private college went viral on social media on October 14. These reports prompted students to protest in Lahore against the alleged rape. The protests took an ugly turn when the police arrested the students.
Maryam stated that the reports of the rape are fabricated and without truth, asserting that some individuals are using this incident to further their political agenda.
