Samaa TV host Kiran Naz surprised viewers by wearing a burqa during a live show broadcast to lodge her protest against depreciating remarks made about the effects ‘purdah’ has on the mental and physical state of women, by Pervez Hoodbhoy.
Appearing on a TV show on News One, Hoodbhoy said that in 1973, when he first started teaching at Quaid-e-Azam University barely one or two girls used to be seen wearing a burqa. But now the burqa has become so common, that it is difficult to see a ‘normal’ person without it. Hoodbhoy also shared his observation that the burqa and hijaab contribute to women hesitating from participating fully and raising questions in class.
You only see what I allow you to see now That’s Freedom.#HijabIsObligatory #PervezHoodbhoy https://t.co/Afqub7bT1R
— Sadaf Goraya (@GlimmerSays) September 16, 2021
These remarks did not settle well with many viewers who came out to raise the point that whatever a woman chooses to wear is solely her own choice, and ‘one must not forget that “Burqa” is among those choices just like “jeans”‘ and other clothing. Moreover, they pointed out that there have been many ‘brilliant students in abaya & Burqa throughout in college & university’, pointing out the loopholes in Hoodbhoy’s argument.
Girls or women in #Hijab share their success stories in response to Dr #Pervezhoodbhoy remarks that Hijab reduces mental capability .@SamiaRQazi pic.twitter.com/16LmD8jSoN
— Hawk Eye (@HawkEyePak) September 15, 2021
Meanwhile, Kiran Naz also staged a protest in her own manner, wearing a three-piece headgear, one item at a time during a live show broadcast, saying it was to prove that the women who wear hijab are just as ‘normal’ as the ones who do not wear it, and that wearing it does not change one’s manner of speech or thought in any way.
Hoodbhoy ko koi ye dikhado! #HijabIsObligatory #Pervezhoodbhoy https://t.co/Ft1s2QfKzD
— Asadullah Mirani (@AsadullahMirani) September 17, 2021
However, in what may have been a slip of tongue, towards the end of her show she declared that she had adopted this attire to send forth a pro-hijab message to the world, and after the break her team will be continuing the show in a ‘normal’ manner. Using the very same word that she had been criticizing Hoodbhoy for using, throughout her show.
#SamaaTV anchor #KiranNaz while sympathising with #Taliban on live TV put #Hijab and then said that we will start our program #Normally after the break. She dismissed his own claim with the word “normally” as her whole drama was in reaction to the same word by #PervezHoodbhoy. pic.twitter.com/SfFqPWitpF
— Mazhar Azad (@AzadQaidii) September 17, 2021
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