Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has called for Pakistan to “reverse the distortions” created in society through the use of religion as a political and strategic tool, saying that the process had contributed to a loss of civility and made religion divisive.
Asif posted his observations on X while responding to a post about an old video purportedly showing a gathering at the Ladies Club in Lahore in 1961.
The video had been shared on X by another user, who pointed to the absence of burqas in the footage and highlighted women wearing saris, shalwar kameez and jackets or sweaters.
The user contrasted the scene with what they described as changing expectations of religious observance among Pakistani women after the 1980s.
The post also attributed part of the change to the Iranian revolution and state policies aimed at mobilising support for the Afghan jihad.
Commenting on the post, Asif said Pakistan needed to address what he described as distortions created over several decades through the use of religion.
“We must reverse the distortions created in the 70s, 80s, 90s and beyond with the intent of using religion as a weapon and making whatever we were doing appear kosher,” he wrote.
“In the process, our society has lost its civility and religion has become divisive,” Asif added.
The defence minister said national unity was necessary to address what he described as the consequences of those policies.
“Only a unified nation can rectify these tragic mistakes,” he wrote.
Asif’s comments focused on the broader social and political consequences of the use of religion, rather than specifically addressing the clothing worn by women in the 1961 footage.
