A girl confided in me recently about being harassed. She said she never reported it because she was told that "boys will be boys and girls should just accept it". Horrified and sickened, as a man, all I could muster in response was a worthless apology.

Harassment is not a gender-specific issue but what makes sexual harassment against women unique is that it is not seen as a criminal act. It is a tool used systematically to ensure that the patriarchal structure perpetuates itself.

And, it appears that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) is not in the least bit concerned with challenging patriarchy.

Also read: 5 awful responses to Sana Mirza’s harassment at the PTI rally

Recently, the party's women supporters were harassed at multiple public party gatherings in Islamabad, Multan and Lahore. Videos circulating on social media show crowds of unruly men pushing women to the ground and mauling them as they screamed.

It is utterly shameful that the PTI — a self-proclaimed anti-establishment and anti-status quo party in Pakistan — instead of sparking national outrage over these heinous acts, barred its female members and supporters from attending its rally in Peshawar, ironically, on the pretext of preventing harassment.