The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) issued a show-cause notice to its leader Nabeel Gabol for making an insensitive comment about rape in a podcast.
PPP Sindh president Nisar Khuhro asked Mr. Gabol to explain his remarks within three days of the notice.
The notice added that organisational disciplinary action will be taken against him if he fails to clarify his stance.
A spokesperson for the party stated that inappropriate conversation and the use of un-parliamentary words are not the policy of PPP.
In a video of the podcast that went viral on social media, Mr. Gabol used the example of rape to talk about being overpowered by the opposition and made a disturbing comment that said, “when rape is imminent, just enjoy it.”
Mr. Gabol also casually mentioned in another podcast that he picks women he admires.
The statement received condemnation from netizens, human rights activists, and lawmakers alike, who called it shameful and insensitive.
Human rights activist and lawyer Nighat Dad, Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari, author Fatima Bhutto and artist Zulfikar Ali Bhutto voiced their disgust on Twitter, calling the rhetoric “repulsive” and “sick.”
PPP’s information secretary MNA Shazia Marri tweeted that she found Mr. Gabol’s remarks “totally unacceptable.”
Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari tweeted:
“His [repulsive] rhetoric belongs to him as an individual only and is in no way a representation of our party [PPP]. In case it wasn’t already abundantly obvious, we absolutely and unequivocally stand for the rights and protection of women. Misogyny has no place in our religion nor our party.”
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