'What of the little children?': Maryam Nawaz berates PM Imran Khan on rape comments

PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday berated Prime Minister Imran Khan over his comments on rising sexual violence, where he had said that men are "tempted" when women wear fewer items of clothing.

Maryam, hitting out at the premier during a press conference in Lahore, said: "Imran Khan's statement is a reflection of a criminal mindset. He has revealed his shallow thinking to the nation."

"What of the little children that are sexually abused; are they subjected to it [sexual violence] because of their dressing?" she asked.

The PML-N leader said Pakistan needs freedom from a mentality that blames the victim of a violent incident.

Maryam said the prime minister "should be ashamed over such a statement".

The PML-N leader accused PM Khan of insulting rape victims, adding that his words would add insult to injury for the parents of children involved in these tragedies.

"They will be ashamed as you have held them responsible," she said to the prime minister.

When asked about her father's return, Maryam said if she was provided a guarantee that Nawaz Sharif's life would not be in danger, she would call him back to the country instantly.

Taking a jibe at the government, she said the fourth finance minister of the incumbent regime had presented its third federal budget.

She condemned the Lahore bomb blast and paid tribute to the police for sacrificing their lives in the line of duty.

PM comments  on rising cases of rape, sexual violence

In an interview with Axios's Johnathan Swan, PM Imran Khan had said: "If a woman is wearing very few clothes, it will have an impact on men .... Unless they're robots. I mean, it's common sense."

"Yes, but will it really provoke acts of sexual violence?" asked Swan.

"It depends which society you live in," answered PM Imran Khan. "If in a society, people haven't seen that sort of a thing, it will have an impact on them," he added.

He had brushed off accusations against him of rape victim blaming as "nonsense" and said the concept of purdah is to avoid temptation in society.

"We don’t have discos here, we don’t have nightclubs, so it is a completely different society, way of life here, so if you raise temptation in society to the point and all these young guys have nowhere to go, it has consequences in the society," PM Khan had said.