Mick Hartley

In Pakistan para-military groups of burqa-clad women can take the law into their own hands, or threaten the government, with impunity, but a satirical play making fun of the burqa – that’s going too far:

The head of a Pakistani theatre company whose play about burkas was banned by the government has said that she is hurt and astonished by the decision.

The government banned the play because it said that it made “unacceptable fun” out of Pakistani culture.

Madeeha Gauhar, head of the Ajoka Theatre group, said that there was nothing offensive in the production against Islam or any other religion.

She said that she was being pulled up for “promoting moderation”.

Complaints about the issue came to light after Islamist MPs raised the issue in parliament on Thursday. They complained that the play was against “Koranic injunctions on the veil”.

“The veil has long been part of local culture and nobody is allowed to make fun of these values,” Minister for Culture Ghazi Gulab Jamal said.

The satirical play Burqavaganza was staged this month by Ajoka Theatre group in the eastern city of Lahore, known as the country’s cultural capital.

The government announced an immediate ban, and stopped it from being staged in other cities following the end of its run in Lahore.