‘I don’t see any resistance, so let them be happy’: Veena Malik on Taliban rule in Afghanistan
In a recent appearance on an interview with DW Urdu, actor Veena Malik elaborated on her controversial stance on the Taliban government in Afghanistan. The actor, who has made her support for the Taliban in Afghanistan public, shared during the interview that she believes the country “belongs to the Taliban.”
Veena asserted, “You said that the Taliban have ‘captured’ Afghanistan when in reality they have formed a government in the country. And I think Afghanistan belongs to the Taliban. This is their land which they have fought such a long war for.”
The actor recently posted a picture of herself fully clad in a burkha. When asked about whether she had plans to move to Afghanistan, Veena revealed that the burkha has been a part of her life for many years and that she was not forced by anyone to wear it. “I love Kandahar, and I would love to go there, but as far as the burkha is concerned, it has been a part of my life since I was 13-years-old. I still wear a burkha when I go out, not because someone has imposed it on me, but because it’s my choice and I feel very secure and safe since I’m an introvert and I’m very shy. It’s very difficult for me to deal with people, so I am very comfortable in the burkha.”
When asked about how the Taliban forces women to dress a certain way, regardless of their choice or comfort, Veena said, “The Taliban have set up their government in Afghanistan, and whatever societal codes they wish to implement, I feel like [the people of Afghanistan] will happily follow them, because they know their culture and traditions very well. I think the people out there are very happy. I don’t see any resistance, so let them be happy please.”
After the interviewer asked the actor whether the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan may affect Pakistan, Veena said, “Pakistan is an independent country and here people wear all kinds of clothes. In fact, I think we should have a dress code in showbiz. The government should implement a dress code letting us know the limits we’re supposed to stay in.”
When asked to reflect on how the Taliban government has treated artists in Afghanistan, Veena stressed that she was more worried about women who are forced to wear “skimpy” clothes. “I think I should have more sympathy for women in industries around the world who are forced to wear skimpy clothes. Women are more uncomfortable there, rather than when artists are given a proper dress code to follow. What I feel is, how the government and people in Afghanistan treat its artists should be left up to them. We have nothing to do with the Afghanistan government.”
She elaborated further, “I am worried about industries where there is no code of conduct and celebrities are free to do anything and everything. That’s scary. People getting into weird things. People should draw the line somewhere.”