Pakistani leader and former minister in Imran Khan’s cabinet, Zartaj Gul, sparked controversy in the Assembly when she requested the speaker not to avoid eye contact while she was speaking. The recent video of the exchange went viral, showing Ms Gul urging the speaker to wear his glasses and look at her. Pakistani media covered the incident extensively.
“My party leaders have taught me to speak while looking directly into the eyes. I cannot continue speaking if you avoid eye contact like this. Please wear your glasses, sir,” Zartaj Gul told Speaker Ayaz Sadiq. “I am a leader. I have received 150,000 votes. If you do not listen to me, I will not be able to address you,” Ms. Gul asserted.
“I will listen, but I cannot make eye contact with a woman as it does not appear appropriate,” Mr Sadiq responded.
In response to Mr Sadiq’s statement, Ms Gul remarked, “If you dismiss 52% of women in this manner, only selected individuals will participate here.”
The speaker explained that he refrains from making eye contact with women.
Watch the video here:
Meanwhile..Parliament in Pakistan pic.twitter.com/U5GcDD4Dp1
— We Dravidians (@WeDravidians) June 30, 2024
The video gathered more than 1.3 million views on X with an array of comments.
A user wrote, “Brilliant humour. Class act.”
Another user commented, “Well! I thought we are the ones who talk about such important issues.”
“Even though they are struggling economically and also in an unstable political situation they keep their cool and jovial is a miracle. Subtle comparison “meanwhile”. Just compare the India and Pakistan Speaker,” the third user wrote.
According to local media reports, Ms Gul is a Pakistani politician who held the position of Minister of State for Climate Change in Imran Khan’s ministry from October 5, 2022, until April 10, 2022, when Imran Khan was removed through a no-confidence motion. She served as a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan from August 2018 to January 2023. In 2024, Ms Gul was re-elected from Dera Ghazi.