ISLAMABAD – Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar on Wednesday in reference to his recent remarks in Karachi said that he did not want to hurt someone’s feelings.
While addressing a ceremony here the other day, the chief justice jokingly said: “I was always told that a speech should be like a woman’s skirt. It should not be too long to not reveal anything and neither too short that it doesn’t cover the subject.” His remarks were a reference to a quote by former British prime minister Winston Churchill.
Today, the chief justice hearing a case remarked that women represent half of our society, adding that the efforts were being on social media to make the matter an issue. The chief justice observed that he used Churchill’s quote as a reference.
Earlier, the chief justice came under heavy fire on social media after his speech’s video went viral. Members of the judicial profession also criticised Nisar.
“It’s utterly shameful for a Chief Justice to be using such language and referring to women and their clothing in such a manner,” the Twitter handle of Women Democratic Front, a Leftist political collective, posted.
Women Lawyers Association (WLA) also released a statement on Monday condemning the statement: “It is disappointing to hear the highest judicial authority in our country using women’s bodies to illustrate a point about public speaking in this manner. It is especially a setback for women lawyers who practice in a male-dominated profession, as it is such statements that cause alienation and marginalization of women in the legal field.”
In an open letter on Tuesday, the Women’s Action Forum had asked Chief Justice Nisar to issue a public apology to the women for his remarks.
