In a pre-Ramzan live television programme, Maulana Tariq Jameel blamed ‘immodest women’ for causing coronavirus pandemic in Pakistan
A Pakistani cleric and leader of Tablighi Jamaat, Maulana Tariq Jameel has said that the coronavirus pandemic has been unleashed on humanity as a repercussion to the “wrongdoing of women”. He also blamed lies, deceit and dishonesty of people for the pandemic. He also said that the immodest women are a national issue in Pakistan.
According to news agency ANI, Maulana Tariq Jameel made the comments during the Ehsaas Telethon fundraising event on Thursday, during which Prime Minister Imran Khan was also present.
Maulana Tariq Jameel spoke for nearly an hour and said the goal was not to fight against the coronavirus pandemic but to be humble in front of God. He blamed the pandemic on the prevalence of lying, dishonesty and betrayals in society, lack of honour and people accumulating wealth through fraudulent means.
“When a Muslim’s daughter practices immodesty and the youth indulges in immorality, then Allah’s torment is unto such a nation,” the maulana said.
Pakistani newspaper Dawn quoted the maulana as saying, “The prime minister is here, media anchorpersons are here… Do we consider how we are going to face the day of judgement due to our deceitfulness?”
As his outrageous remarks invited criticism from all quarters, Jameel blamed media and said it was a slip of tongue. However, he did not apologize for his offensive remarks on women.
The Human Right Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has found his statement against women. “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,” the commission tweeted.
Earlier, in a video of a sermon that had gone viral on social media, Maulana Tariq Jameel openly objectified women to an audience of hundreds of men. He was widely ridiculed for the speech, in which he explained the concept of hoories in Islam, saying that the men who enter paradise will be greeted by 72 virgins, hoors, who will serve them as a reward from Allah.
