Would never say such stupid thing that victim also responsible for rape: PM

Prime Minister Imran Khan has, at last, come clean regarding his remarks on rape victims and said he would never say such a stupid thing where a rape victim is somehow responsible for the crime committed against them.

PM Khan was recently heavily criticized for his remarks suggesting the inappropriate dresses of women led to the increase in rape incidents.

However, in an interview with PBS News Hour, PM Imran Khan said his comments were taken out of context and were blown out of proportion.

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“Anyone who commits rape, solely and solely that person is responsible. So let's be clear about that. No matter how provocative the woman is or whatever she wears, the person who commits rape is fully responsible. Never is the victim responsible,” said PM Khan. “They were simply talking about Pakistan society where we are having a sharp rise in sex crimes,” explained the premier. He also said sex crimes do not only include women.

“More than rape, there is child abuse (cases) which are going through the roof, so my comments were in that context,” said PM Khan.

The premier stated that he used the word "pardah", adding that the word does not just mean clothes or is restricted to women only. He said that "pardah" is also for men and means to “bring down temptation in a society”.

“And I have to say because I know all the interviews I have given. Never would I say such a stupid thing where a person who is raped is somehow responsible. It is always the rapist that is responsible,” said PM Khan.

On a question that whether the importance of Islam in Pakistan stops him from taking a stronger stance against women, he said: “Absolutely not. Islam gives dignity (and) respect to women.”

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He added that after travelling all over the world, he found that in Muslim countries, women are treated with more respect. “In Pakistan, even in other Muslim countries I have seen, women (are) treated with far more respect and given more dignity,” said PM Khan.

When talking about respect to women, the PM admitted that there are “odd cases” but explained that such a situation was “everywhere in the world”.

“But you look at the situation in Pakistan even now, I mean look at the rape cases here, compared to Western countries, they are minuscule,” said the PM.

The premier admitted that there are issues in Pakistan but linked them to “cultural problems”. He said that such cultural problems exist in every nation and are resolved with cultural evolution. “As far as a women’s dignity and respect goes, I can say after going all over the world, this (Pakistani) society gives more respect and dignity to women,” he added.