Pakistani actress and model Mahenur Haider, known for her role in the drama serial ‘Khay,’ recently discussed why she stopped wearing a burqa during a podcast with actor and host Ahmed Ali Butt.
Mahenur explained that although her family is religious and prays regularly, they do not have a tradition of wearing burqas or covering their heads with dupattas or shawls. Despite this, she decided to start wearing a burqa in 2009 when she was in ninth grade.
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She recalled her first experience wearing a burqa in front of her father, expecting him to be proud. However, he laughed and asked, “What hypocrisy is this?” Mahenur now understands that her father wanted her to focus on internal growth before making external changes.
Additionally, her friends mocked her for wearing a burqa, and her mother did not support her choice either. Her mother often said, “Mahenur, you look strange with us. When we go out, you don’t seem like part of our family.”
These reactions led Mahenur to stop wearing the burqa. Now, she feels more liberated and chooses to wear a burqa only when she wants to, without covering her head with a dupatta, to avoid public criticism for inconsistencies in her appearance.
