LAHORE:Kashf Foundation, in partnership with the Government of Canada, launched its latest socially driven drama, AikAurPakeezah, at an event held in Lahore. The launch brought together policymakers, women’s rights advocates, senior legal experts, media professionals, and members of the cast and creative team to spotlight the urgent and evolving challenges Pakistani women face in the digital age.
The series explores the real-world challenges faced by women navigating cyber harassment, coerced marriage, reputational harm and the legal gaps that shape their access to justice in Pakistan. The cast of the series include Nameer Khan, Sehar Khan, Mirza Gohar Rasheed, AmnaIlyas, NimraZakaria Khan, Hina Khawaja Butt, Adeel Butt, Umer Dar, Nadia Afghan, M Noor-ul-Hassan Malik, DavarMehfooz, Ali Aftab, Kiran Waseem, Sarah Ahmed and M Ali Jan.
The afternoon, moderated by Barrister Fatima Shaheen, opened with an introduction to the event and the cast and crew, paving the way for a powerful set of reflections and discussions. In her welcome address, Roshaneh Zafar, Founder and Managing Director of Kashf Foundation, noted, “According to the Digital Rights Foundation, Pakistan has 72 million internet users, and nearly 40 percent of women report facing online harassment. AikAurPakeezah speaks to this lived reality - the cyber harassment, social coercion, and legal barriers women navigate every day. The series asks what it means for women to reclaim dignity in digital spaces that can upend their lives within minutes. Our aim is to use storytelling to provoke dialogue, challenge harmful norms, and highlight the urgent need for legal systems that respond to the complexities women face. Women deserve safety, dignity, and equal access to justice - both online and offline - and this project is a step toward amplifying that truth.” The launch also underscored Canada’s continued support for gender equality and women’s protection initiatives in Pakistan.
Delivering the opening address, Counsellor (Development) and Head of Cooperation, Government of Canada, Ms. Harriet Roos, reaffirmed Canada’s support, “Canada is a longtime supporter of women’s rights and empowerment, and a partner of Kashf for more than 10 years. I am happy to join Kashf and their creative partners today to celebrate their next drama series, and the important discussion it will spark across the country.”
