Burqa Vaganza !!!!

Ajoka Theater is one of the serious avenues that raise voice against social injustices through creative vigor, a message of resistance communicated with bit of creativity. It interesting to come across the drama BURQAVAGANZA. It is general belief in our rural society that female species is something to be hidden, something to be ashamed of. Ironically most of my close friends are females and I am proud of them!!! Many intellectual believes that “The obsession with burqa, face-veil, niqab, hijab, parda has very little to do with religious beliefs and everything to do with the patriarchal, tribal, feudal mindset and value system. Whatever the rationale for covering women's faces in the primitive or medieval times, it has absolutely no justification in the modern times. No society encourages indecency or immodesty, but the standards differ from time to time and from society to society”. It is believed that “The current fixation with niqab and burqa is a product of the Pan-Islamic fundamentalist political movement and supported by despotic Muslim rulers and the Western powers. In Pakistan, the Zia regime actively pursued this policy as a part of the West-supported policy to promote religious militancy”. In the Islamic world, or more specifically in Pakistan, the premise is quite different. While very few would support a Turkey-style ban on burqas, a vast majority believes that their faith does not reside in the burqa or hijab. In Pakistan those who want to force women to wear burqa or veil are a small intolerant ultra-conservative minority. The debate on whether to wear a veil or not needs to be conducted in the modern human rights and liberal context.“Burqavaganza” is a play written to challenge the mindsets, provoke the audience to rethink and break the chains of prejudice and outdated values. I am waiting for the play, my friends when it comes to Karachi, let us enjoy the play, dance to the tunes and relax. After all this an extravaganza!