Enraged Islamist lawmakers have persuaded the Pakistan government to stop a theatre group staging a satirical play ‘Burqavaganza’; it’s about the burqa, the all-covering head-to-toe garment worn by conservative Muslim women.

In the play, young men and women wore the burqa to go out on secret dates and it featured a character called Burqa bin Badin. The play also showed a burqa-clad married couple put to death for making love in public.

As expected, religious conformist Pakistanis did not find it funny, rather went as far as to tag the performance as blasphemous, a crime in Pakistan that can carry a death sentence.

Culture Minister Sayed Ghazi Gulab Jamal said,

the burqa is part of our culture. We can’t allow anyone to ridicule our culture.

Progressive Pakistanis have become increasingly shocked by how bold religious radicals have become in spreading their Taliban-style values in society.

Madeeha Gauhar with the Ajoka Theatre group told the BBC that the play is not designed to offend Islam or any other religion. She said she heard about the ban from the media as the government had not yet contacted the theater group. We are trying to end the evils from society, we are against forcing women to wear the burqa. I condemn the ban, she told the BBC.

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