Backlash erupts over Mahira Khan’s comments on Khalil ur Rehman Qamar

Superstar Mahira Khan’s recent remarks about controversial writer Khalil ur Rehman Qamar have triggered intense backlash from several prominent voices, including artist and activist Leena Ghani, journalist Sanam Maher, and writer Hina Baloch. The criticism comes after Mahira's surprising attempt at reconciliation with Qamar during a podcast appearance.

The controversy resurfaced when Mahira appeared on Ahmed Ali Butt’s podcast, addressing her fallout with Qamar, five years after she publicly called him out on Twitter for his misogynistic remarks.

Clarifying their past professional relationship, Mahira said, “We were never close friends, but our joint project Sadqay Tumhare was a journey we completed with love and sincerity.”

When asked if she believed she had made a mistake in how she addressed the issue, she admitted, “Yes, I was wrong. I should have messaged him directly instead of tweeting about it. He is absolutely right.”

Explaining her state of mind at the time, she added, “I just wanted to raise my voice against injustice,” and revealed that she posted the tweet during a late-night shoot for Neelofar, without verifying the full context.

Mahira also credited her mother for helping her reflect: “My mom made me realize I should have communicated directly, especially when it involved a senior artist,” she said, quoting her mother’s advice: “You can disagree while still maintaining respect.”

But not everyone agrees.

Leena Ghani, a well-known activist and feminist, took to her Instagram story to express confusion and frustration over Mahira’s remarks.

“Moving on, can someone explain to me like I’m five what Mahira Khan was trying to say,” she asked, questioning the logic behind Mahira’s comments.

“Sooo… we should call out people, but we don’t call out people in power,” she continued.

“But then… Mahira Khan called out KRQ but since ‘woh baray hain,’ she should not have called him out?”

Calling out the contradictions, Leena wrote, “Was I wrong to assume she called him out because he made disgusting, misogynistic comments and as someone with influence from the industry, she was taking a brave stand against a man in power?”

She ended her post with a powerful statement, “Mahira Khan, I’m begging you at this point to understand. Agar woh baray hain, iska yeh matlab nahi ke woh achay bhi hain. Maaf usi ko kiya jata hai jo maafi maangay, aur jo maaf hone ke laayak ho — KRQ jaisay do takkay ke aadmi ko nahi.”

Journalist and author Sanam Maher also weighed in, sharing a clip from the podcast and writing, “This clip of Mahira Khan on a podcast has been doing the rounds, and I didn’t want to ignore it. I shouldn’t be surprised, but I am — she says she should have reached out to Khalil ur Rehman Qamar before tweeting about him. Out of respect for his age, and as they know each other.”

She then urged people to revisit Qamar’s past actions, “Shall we just rewatch the clip where KRQ shows us who he is?”

Sanam reshared a viral clip where Qamar screamed at a woman on live TV over the "Mera jism, meri marzi" slogan and added, “This is him frothing at the mouth re ‘mera jism, meri marzi’ i.e. ‘my body, my choice’.”

She also reshared Mahira’s original tweet from five years ago, “I am shocked at what I have just heard and seen! Sick to the core. This same man who abused a woman on TV is revered and given project after project because of what?”
“We are as much to blame if not more for perpetuating this thinking!”

Expressing disappointment over Mahira’s apparent U-turn, Sanam questioned, “I do not understand what she feels she has to apologise for. She tweeted this, and because she’s got the clout and status in the industry, her tweet emboldened other people to come forward and talk about how vile this man is. Why is she now walking back on this?”

Sanam also criticized the podcast host for inappropriate comments, saying, “At one point this host tells Mahira she took her sweet time getting married again (‘about time’) okay, uncle.”

Writer Hina Baloch echoed the sentiments of Leena and Sanam. Reposting Leena’s story, she wrote:

“Respectability politics will be the end of us all.”

She elaborated further, “I recently watched an interview where Mahira also said that she is against cancel culture and I fully support her for that. But the UK point is, Mahira girl, you didn’t cancel KRQ. You called him out for the venom he spits against women without any accountability.”

Hina added “He could’ve corrected his course, but no he became more and more venomous and misogynistic each passing day. Such a vile creature.”

“Also, respect is earned KRQ is not worthy of it. So yeah, @leenaghani stands corrected.”