Kashf Foundation and the Government of Canada held the launch of Aik Aur Pakeezah in Lahore on 4 December 2025, bringing together policymakers, legal experts, digital rights advocates, media professionals and the cast and creative team. The event, held at The Nishat Hotel, focused on the growing challenges women face online and the gaps in legal protections available to them.
The program opened with remarks by Barrister Fatima Shaheen, who underlined the need for coordinated conversations on digital harm as online abuse increasingly affects women’s personal and professional lives. The discussion framed the drama as part of a broader effort to understand how digital spaces shape risk and accountability.
In her welcome address, Kashf Foundation’s Founder and Managing Director Roshaneh Zafar pointed to the scale of the issue.
“Pakistan has 72 million internet users, and nearly 40 percent of women report facing online harassment,” she said. Zafar noted that the series aims to reflect these experiences and raise questions about justice in cases where manipulated content, reputational damage and social pressure converge.
The High Commissioner of Canada, H.E. Tarik Ali Khan, reiterated Canada’s support for initiatives focused on women’s rights and digital safety.
“Aik Aur Pakeezah highlights the pressures women face in the digital age. Canada is committed to supporting work that strengthens protections and amplifies women’s voices,” he said.
The first, “Access to Justice in the Age of Cyber-Crime,” moderated by Reema Omar, featured Fauzia Waqar, Usama Khilji and Barrister Khadija Siddiqi. Panelists identified key obstacles within Pakistan’s current cybercrime response, from inconsistent evidence collection to limited institutional support for victims and discussed the need for clearer processes and stronger safeguards.
The second panel, “From Script to Screen: Bringing Aik Aur Pakeezah to Life,” brought together cast members Sehar Khan, Nameer Khan, Amna Ilyas and Hina Bayaat, along with director Kashif Nissar and writer Bee Gul. They discussed the challenges of handling sensitive material, the research that informed the characters and the importance of portraying digital harassment and coerced marriage with accuracy and nuance.
An exclusive screening of the drama’s official trailer gave attendees a first look at the series, offering a brief introduction to Pakeezah’s story and the broader social context it addresses.
By the end of the event, it was clear that the launch served not only to introduce a new drama but to encourage a broader conversation on women’s digital rights and access to justice. As the series moves to air, it is positioned to contribute to ongoing discussions about online safety, legal reform and the social pressures that shape women’s experiences in digital spaces.
