Apologize Else Resign: Maryam Nawaz Criticized by Aurat March for ‘Paak’ Student Remarks

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has faced significant backlash following her remarks during a recent press conference concerning an alleged rape case at Punjab College.

Maryam Nawaz was criticized for saying, “Woh bachi bilkul paak saaf hai, uske opper yeh ghalat ilzaam lagay,” which means that the girl in question is clean or pure.

In her statement, she denied the allegations in her statement, asserting that the girl in question is either clean or pure. This statement has provoked a lot of anger.

Many critics of the Aurat March movement were persuaded by her recent comments that they were correct in their assessment of such sentiments as regressive and pathetically connecting a woman’s value to her chastity.

The public criticized CM, stating that survivors of sexual assault are being wrongfully labeled as ‘impure,’ using statements that appeared to correspond to the justification used in honor killing instances.

Some critics said that public leaders, particularly women, should exercise greater caution when utilizing words related to sexual assault. The Chief Minister’s statements about women sparked outrage since they were interpreted as a continuation of stereotypes.

They also pointed out that she and others like her were victim shaming and should instead focus on punishing the criminals rather than the victim’s ‘innocence.’ Some critics also argued that such a tale was intended to shift the spotlight away from the attacker and victimize the survivor.

The public was also startled that such statements highlight underlying social problems, such as how leaders contribute to the stigmatization of sexual abuse survivors. These reactions call into question the insensitivity of treating such crimes in the first place.