How difficult is it to understand something if even Amir Liaquat Hussain can explain it? Quite a lot if you’re Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar. On Monday, a clip went viral of KuQ going ballistic on journalist, Marvi Sirmed over a debate on women’s rights. Not only did he refuse to support (or understand) the feminist movement but he also abused Marvi using vulgar and disgusting remarks on live television.
Many people have responded to Khalil ur Rehman’s comments against Marvi and against a particular slogan, “Mera Jism Meri Marzi” — a phrase that disgusted KuQ to the point that he was ‘provoked’ to hurl profanity at the fellow panelist. Celebrities including Mahira Khan, Mawra Hocane, Urwa Hocane, Shehzad Roy, Ushna Shah, Osama Khalid Butt and others all spoke up:
I am shocked at what I have just heard and seen!! Sick to the core. This same man who abused a woman on tv is revered and given project after project because of what? We are as much to blame if not more for perpetuating this thinking! #khalilurrehmanqamar
— Mahira Khan (@TheMahiraKhan) March 4, 2020
Don't understand the problem so many are having with #MeraJismMeriMarzi"-Mera jism meri marzi nahi toh kis ki marzi ho gi?? "My body is mine" is a critical component of the Life Skills Based Education classes we teach to help children protect themselves from abuse & harassment
— Shehzad Roy (@ShehzadRoy) March 4, 2020
Why, was him equating women demanding equality to women gang-raping men in an interview last year not enough insight to his mindset? We were quiet then, weren't we.
Where is the accountability, and why is it easier to bash, ban, boycott 'peripheral' members of the fraternity /3— Osman Khalid Butt (@aClockworkObi) March 4, 2020
Disgusted.
He should be banned from all kinds of platforms. He’s not only a shame to our industry but to human race. Such abusive & disrespectful behaviour shall not be tolerated. Anyone who works with him is equally responsible for his behaviour. #khalilurrehmanqamar— MAWRA HOCANE (Hussain) (@MawraHocane) March 4, 2020
#khalilurrehmanqamar how DARE you disrespect a woman like that. You need to sit down and have a think about the gutters in which your mind lives. Shame on you.
— Ushna Shah (@ushnashah) March 4, 2020
Popular anchorperson, Shahzaib Khanzada, also used his platform to educate KuQ and his supporters on what the phrase ‘Mera Jism Meri Marzi (my body my choice)’ meant and he came prepared with examples. Not that it wasn’t obvious, but good on Shahzeb for explaining that the highly contentious slogan is for women who are not given autonomy over their bodies in any aspect of their lives. He also questioned that if this phrase is detrimental to the foundation of our society then should it be changed to ‘Mera Jism Marzi Kisi Aur Ki (my ?body, somebody else’s choice)’.
Khalil ur Rehman Qamar was asked to appear on another talk show with anchorperson Mansoor Ali Khan to clear his stance where he was joined by Amir Liaquat and Resham as fellow panelists. To nobody’s surprise but the host’s, KuQ stayed adamant and tried to deflect blame on Marvi, saying that had she not interrupted him, he wouldn’t have misbehaved. When asked about his reservations on the slogan, Mera Jism Meri Marzi, he responded with even more ridiculousness than before; saying that it isn’t fair that fathers and brothers have no say in a woman’s body and that they can’t determine at what age should women be given the ownership of their bodies.
It’s at this point that Amir Liaquat of all people set things straight saying that this is not a man who is just barbaric and narcissistic but he is severely unstable and belongs in an isolated institution rather than in civilised society. Amir Liaquat also added that if it was a woman telling him to shut up that he went crazy for, then he is a child for having no control over himself.
The conversation ended with Resham simply pointing out two things. First being that the writer who got fame and fortune for writing a woman’s character as ‘Do Takey Ki Aurat (worthless woman)’ has himself become worthless today. Her second point was that when PEMRA is always quick to ban content even slightly controversial against the government, why aren’t they taking KuQ to task.
Our question is that if men can change so drastically to a point that Amir Liaquat is schooling people on women’s rights, how dumb does KuQ have to be to still not comprehend it all? So much so that this man still refuses to understand the gravity of the situation he has caused.
Watch the entire situation unfold here:
