Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar is known for his problematic statements regarding women, so it’s no surprise that he’s crawled out of the woodwork, once again, to blame feminists and feminism for everything under the sun. However, this time his statement has hit a nerve. After the tragic murder of Noor Mukaddam by Zahir Jaffer, the last thing we needed was Khalil Ur Rehman trying to make himself relevant once again by inserting himself into the narrative. In an ill-timed and grossly insensitive tweet, Mr Qamar links the diminishing narrative of feminism to the heinous and brutal murder of Noor, implying that feminism had a key role to play in her death and was responsible for pushing Zahir Jaffer over the edge.
Okay, So When Are We Officially Cancelling Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar?
Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m against cancel culture since it implies that people are inept at realising their mistakes and changing themselves for the better. It allows the public to be both the judge and the jury, which as we all know isn’t the best. However, if there’s anyone that needs to be cancelled right now, it’s individuals like Mr Qamar. He’s shown time and time again that he’s vile and misogynistic, but we still continue to hail him in public spheres?! Yes, many noteworthy celebrities have spoken out against him over the years but then there’s still a barrage of people who will do anything for him to notice them and cast them in his next drama serial. When are we going to call a spade a spade?
Pakistani Celebrities & Their Selective Activism
It’s interesting how most of our celebrities were vocal about standing beside Noor and her family in their time of need but are silent about Khalil Ur Rehman’s latest problematic tweet(s). We realise you’re part of a fraternity and have to see each other at award shows and events, however, when you stay quiet about such things you become complicit and well, become a hypocrite in the eyes of the public. Journalist Rafay Mahmood summarises the situation perfectly when he says Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar will remain the best litmus test for the showbiz industry’s moral compass. You know something is inherently wrong with a person if they support Khalil Ur Rehman…
Like always, Khalil Ur Rehman’s latest statement faced a lot of backlash from Pakistanis on Twitter:
I Mean, They’re Not Wrong…..
Taking The Spotlight Away From The Actual Issue
Is This A Tactic To Stay Relevant By Stirring Up Controversies? Or Is He Really That Ignorant?
Finally, Some Words Of Wisdom
It is such a shame that mindsets like that of Khalil Ur Rehman still exist in our society and maybe that’s why victims of domestic violence, abuse, etc seldom come forward. They fear that people like him will find a way to demonize them and make a spectacle of their tragedy. Khalil Ur Rehman highlights the key problem in our society – men who find it hard to believe women when they tell them their truth and who will go to any lengths to malign them and make light of their tragedies. We can only hope that he’s held accountable for all the hatred he spews and that he finds it in himself to apologize. But to be honest, we’re not holding our breaths.
