New Delhi (NVI): A Pakistani cleric has said that the “wrongdoings” and “obscenity” are responsible for the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic which is a form of God’s wrath, reports Dawn.
Maulana Tariq Jameel, who has a huge following in Pakistan, made the remarks during a televised event on April 24 in which Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had also participated, the Pak daily reported.
Jameel was called in to say a prayer after the Ehsaas Telethon event which had been organised to raise money for COVID-19 relief efforts.
The cleric also condemned the women for dancing and over the way they dress, saying it was these “immodest actions” that have “brought the Almighty’s wrath upon the country”.
What is surprising is that the Pakistan PM did not stop him or interrupt him for making such remarks. The cleric faced severe backlash in Pakistan media, social media as well as among members of civil society.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has also condemned the Maulana for his “inexplicable” statement.
Taking to Twitter, the body said, “HRCP is appalled at Maulana Tariq Jamil’s recent statement inexplicably correlating women’s ‘modesty’ to the Covid19 pandemic. Such blatant objectification is unacceptable and, when aired on public television, only compounds the misogyny entrenched in society.
HRCP is appalled at Maulana #TariqJamil‘s recent statement inexplicably correlating women’s ‘modesty’ to the #Covid19 pandemic. Such blatant objectification is unacceptable and, when aired on public television, only compounds the misogyny entrenched in society.
— Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (@HRCP87) April 24, 2020
Nida Aly, director of the Asma Jahangir Legal Aid cell (AGHS), was quoted as saying by Dawn that Pakistan had seen a rise in the cases of violence against women, and extreme situations, including honour crimes, domestic violence, assault and abuse of women.
She said while women under lockdown needed security from the community, “the government trotted out Tariq Jamil on a broadly televised programme who not just objectified women but declared them and their individualist actions to bring the wrath of God and punishment in the form of Covid-19.”
