Former Pakistan cricketer Saeed Anwar has ruffled feathers by saying that women entering the workforce and working out of the home is a big game plan to destroy society. He also claimed that New Zealand captain Kane Williamson called him to ask how can they could better their society which is in decline.
The ex-Pakistan captain sparked outrage on social media when a clip of him expressing his extreme views on women empowerment and working.
“I have traveled the world. I am just returning from Australia, Europe. Youngsters are suffering, families are in bad shape. Couples are fighting. The state of affairs is so bad that they must make their women work for money,” the former cricketer says in a viral video clip.
He said, “New Zealand’s captain [for the national men’s cricket team] Kane Williamson called me to ask, ‘How will our society get better?’... The Australian mayor said to me, ‘Our culture has been destroyed since our women entered the workforce.’”
The cricketer also claimed, “Since women have started working in Pakistan, divorce rates have climbed by thirty percent in the last three years. [The wives say] ‘To hell with you, I can earn myself. I can run a household on my own.’ This is a whole game plan. You will not understand this game plan unless you find guidance.”
Here is the video:
Anwar's comments have received harsh criticism for their patriarchal tone. Many on social media criticized his views as outdated and damaging, emphasizing the importance of women's financial independence and the ability to work.
Here are some of the reactions:
