A Pakistani activist has accused Sir Keir Starmer of “silencing the whole debate” on grooming gangs after the PM accused senior Tories of “amplifying what the far-right is saying”.
Khadija Khan spoke to GB News about the assumption that speaking about these issues is radical and offends the Pakistani community.
“There is this assumption that we can't speak about these issues because they offend the Pakistani community,” she said.
“It’s not a conspiracy or ‘far right’ to say that Pakistani men are disproportionately involved. It's something that's a fact. There should be no shame in dealing with facts because it’s impacting people inside and outside the community.“
“There is this assumption that we can't speak about these issues because they offend the Pakistani community,” Khan said
Getty/GB News
Referring to the mindset in her community regarding Western women, she said people should not deny that this plays a part in their crimes.
“I want to address the mindset. It’s ingrained. Not only men but women are also brainwashed. Western women are presented as an example of disobedient women, as vulgar women with no moral compass,” said Khan.
“They tell us we should not be following them, dressing like them, because if we do it we become one of them. Western women are labelled as ‘immoral’ and ‘fair game’.”
“Denying that there is a mindset that has emboldened these criminals in committing these acts against women and girls is a travesty. For them, it [their crime] was justifiable, because of the brainwashing mindset that persists.”
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She said people in her community are too afraid to speak out for fear of repercussions, and at the same time politicians and authorities are failing victims by silencing discourse.
“When Keir Starmer said that talking about the grooming scandal is 'amplifying what the far-right is saying,' for me, that's like silencing the whole debate because you have already labelled anyone who has even thought of speaking out as far right.”
“And then at the same time, there's the religious Muslims calling people Islamophobes. Women are being told to shut up for speaking out against the violence that affects them.”
Khan’s comments come as Starmer has come under fire for accusing the Tories of “amplifying what the far-right is saying” on child sexual abuse after failing to act “for 14 long years”.
“If we put the victims at the forefront of the issue we might make progress. But we are getting sidetracked” Khan said.
GB News
Speaking on Monday he said: “What I won’t tolerate is politicians jumping on the bandwagon, simply to get attention when those politicians sat in Government for 14 long years, tweeting, talking, but not doing anything about it. Now, so desperate for attention that they’re amplifying what the far-right is saying.”
When asked if she believed things will improve, Khan said she was not very positive.
“There is constant denial on the part of politicians. Keir Starmer said he was doing well, but if that were true, then we would not be in this situation in the first place.”
“Between islamophobia and far right accusations - how can we take the discussion further? The reality is grim and bleak.”
“If we put the victims at the forefront of the issue we might make progress. But we are getting sidetracked.”
She added that she believes an inquiry should not just be about bringing perpetrators to justice, it should also look at what enabled the abusers to carry out what they did.
