Bushra Ansari urges people to understand the respo…

Actor Gohar Rasheed, known for his versatility and outspoken nature, has sparked a fresh round of public debate after sharing his views on Aurat March during a recent podcast appearance, taking particular issue with what he described as vulgar posters that appear at the annual women’s rights march. Rasheed drew a comparison between two things he sees as similarly problematic. He said that women should not be objectified, and in that spirit, item numbers in films should not exist because they reduce women to objects. He then extended that same logic to certain placards that appear at Aurat March, arguing that some posters cross a line into vulgarity and do not represent an appropriate way to communicate ideas or demands. He said the same points could be made in a more sophisticated manner without resorting to language or imagery that he found objectionable. The remarks touched on one of the most consistently contested topics in Pakistani public life. Aurat March, held annually on March 8 in major cities across Pakistan to mark International Women’s Day, has been a flashpoint for debate since its earliest editions. Supporters argue it is a necessary and long-overdue platform for women to voice demands around safety, equality and rights. Critics, including Rasheed, have frequently taken issue with specific posters that appear at the marches, arguing that certain slogans or images do not reflect the broader values of Pakistani society. The response online was immediate and divided, as it tends to be whenever the march becomes the subject of public commentary. Some users agreed with Rasheed. One person wrote: “He is right. Now Aurat Marchers will go against him,” anticipating the backlash while expressing support for the sentiment. Others pushed back sharply. One commenter wrote: “I wish he was this offended by violence against women and child rape,” arguing that the energy directed at posters would be better channelled toward the far graver issues women face daily. Another said: “Three men mansplaining what women should do or not do,” pointing to the irony of male voices deciding what is and is not an appropriate mode of feminist expression. The division in the comments reflects the genuine complexity of the debate. For those who support Aurat March unconditionally, the criticism of posters is a distraction from the march’s core purpose and represents the kind of policing of women’s expression that the march itself is pushing back against. For those who share Rasheed’s view, the concern is that certain forms of communication within the march alienate potential allies and hand critics easy ammunition to dismiss the broader cause. What is clear from the reaction is that this is a conversation Pakistan has not finished having, and that every public voice that enters it, whether from the entertainment industry or elsewhere, adds another layer to a debate that touches on deeply held values about gender, expression and what it means to advocate for change.

Pakistani dramas have long been a mirror to the society they come from, and Aik Mohabbat Aur is doing exactly that. The ongoing drama, in which Qudsia Ali plays Maham and Abbas Ashraf Awan plays Faris, explores the painful reality of marriages where women find themselves trapped with narcissistic partners. In a candid conversation with Fuchsia Magazine, the two actors stepped out of their fictional roles and spoke plainly about the dynamics they believe are damaging real relationships in Pakistan today. Abbas Ashraf was direct about where he believes the problem begins, and it is not with men themselves but with how they are raised. He said the narcissistic complex in men is a product of parenting, specifically the way sons are conditioned from childhood to feel superior to everyone around them. Parents, he argued, tell their sons they are the inheritors, the ones who matter, the ones who carry the family forward, while daughters are quietly assigned a lesser place. That imbalance, repeated across generations, plants the seeds of the entitlement and control that later destroys marriages. His prescription was as straightforward as his diagnosis. “Make both your sons and daughters feel equal if you want to stop your sons from becoming negative narcissists,” he said. It is a simple idea that carries enormous weight precisely because of how rarely it is practised. Qudsia Ali brought a different but equally sharp perspective to the same conversation, turning her focus toward the women who stay in difficult marriages long past the point of reason. Her explanation was rooted not in weakness but in a specific emotional wound. She said that many women are deprived of parental love from the very beginning of their lives. When they finally encounter even a fragment of affection from a partner, however temporary or conditional it may be, they hold on to it with everything they have because they have never known anything different. “Women are deprived of parental love and when they get even a glimpse of love, they lie down and take everything,” she said. “They take even a temporary love as they are extremely insecure.” The image is striking and uncomfortably accurate for anyone who has watched a woman accept treatment that from the outside looks impossible to justify. Qudsia did not offer this observation from a distance. She acknowledged that she herself had carried insecurities of her own, and that she had done the work to understand and overcome them. It was a moment of personal honesty that gave her words additional weight. Together, their observations form a connected picture of how the same system of unequal parenting produces both the men who expect everything and the women who accept anything. The drama they are appearing in explores exactly this territory on screen. But in this conversation, they chose to name it plainly off screen too, and that directness is what has made their remarks resonate beyond the usual boundaries of a promotional interview.

Pakistani music icon Atif Aslam has opened up about the personal journey behind his upcoming studio album Subah Aye Na, revealing that years of touring and commercial commitments left him disconnected from his artistic identity. Ahead of the album’s release, the singer shared that he had to “go back to zero” to rediscover himself as an artist. Speaking in recent interviews with Virgin Radio Dubai and Khaleej Times, Aslam reflected on the creative process behind Subah Aye Na, his first studio album in 18 years. The singer described the project as one of the most personal milestones of his career. “I forgot who I was, so I went back to zero and told myself that people had made me a star, by the grace of God, but now is the time to become an artist,” Aslam said. The singer explained that after spending more than two decades performing around the world, he realised he had been creating music mainly for audiences, concerts and record labels rather than for himself. “I have been doing it for the people, for my listeners, for music companies,” he said. “I thought of doing something for myself. And I found myself through this album.” Reflecting on the past 25 years of his career, Aslam admitted that his busy schedule had gradually distanced him from the creative passion that first inspired him to pursue music. “I had somehow lost touch with myself while staying busy with projects, concerts and other things, though that too is a blessing I acknowledge. But it was about time to look within and do what my heart had been yearning for,” he shared. Unlike his previous work, Aslam said he refused to rush the album’s production and instead allowed the music to develop naturally. “I did not want to be driven by timelines. I wanted it to come straight from the soul,” he explained. The award-winning singer also confessed that he had planned to release another album years ago but never completed it. “I was working on the album, but I couldn’t compile it earlier. I guess you could say, as candidly as it gets, that I was lazy,” he admitted with a smile. “But you eventually have to decide when you will perform and when you will make your own music. You have to do both.” Looking ahead, Aslam revealed that he hopes to maintain a more consistent release schedule and aims to put out a new album every year. During the interviews, the Aadat singer also shared that cricket—not music—was his first dream. He revealed that he wanted to become a fast bowler and was even selected for an under-19 cricket team before his parents encouraged him to focus on academics. “I wanted to be a fast bowler. I got selected for the under-19 cricket team, but my parents wanted me to study,” he recalled. Aslam said he only realised his vocal potential after his father’s transfer to another city. “When I hit that high note, I got scared. That’s when I realised something could come of it,” he said. Explaining the difference between his albums and film songs, Aslam noted that his studio records are deeply personal because he composes them himself. “I have composed all of my albums myself, but film songs are created with music producers and directors. My albums reflect what I have been through, the people I have met, what has inspired me and how it has shaped me,” he said. The singer also expressed gratitude to his Indian fans, recalling how his music first reached audiences across the border. “I remember when my first album came out, people would burn CDs and take them to India. Now we’re back to those days again,” he said, while thanking listeners who continue to support his music despite ongoing restrictions. Subah Aye Na, featuring eight tracks, is scheduled for release on July 31, marking Aslam’s long-awaited return to the studio album format after nearly two decades.