Shaan defends shirtless photos

On Wednesday, veteran actor Shaan Shahid posted shirtless photos of himself after a workout session, neatly dividing fans and followers into two segments: those who lauded his dedication to fitness, and those who cried foul at the bold gesture.

"Your journey doesn't end post-workout, it's just the beginning," captioned Shaan on Facebook alongside two photos in the shower showcasing bulging biceps.

"Being a Pakistani and a fitness professional. I'm always proud of you Shaan Bhai," gushed one fan. Another equally impressed follower commented, "Do you mind sharing your workout and diet routine? The youth in Pakistan needs to be more fitness savvy. You can give good tips."

However, others took a less accepting approach. "To all the shameless people praising this naked man: Would you allow your brothers, fathers or sons to post their erotic pictures like this publicly?" posed one follower.

"Do you recommend your feminine co-workers share such bathroom activities with us?" posed yet another commenter.

Some 2.3K comments later, Shaan responded on Friday with a long caption defending his decision and addressing his critics. Reposting one of his original pictures, the Zill-e-Shah star began, "Men and women are created equal by the creator, yet both are given different gifts. Men are gifted with the physical strength and women with the gift of beauty, patience, fragility, strength and sharm aur haya [modesty]."

The star revealed that his fitness journey related to the demands of an upcoming role, as well as a moral compulsion to look after his body. "I'm an artist of 50. It is my job to transform according to the script. I'm just doing my job!" he explained. "I thank the Almighty that He has blessed me with health and the will to take care of myself. As my body is my only companion that will be with me till the end, I must respect it."

The actor pointed out that as a public figure, he feels duty-bound to spread awareness of fitness. As a final shut-up call to his haters, he added that cultural norms dictate it is socially acceptable for a man to pose shirtless.

"I try to inspire people of my age to get fit," he wrote. "The world that we live in has given men the right to go shirtless. A lot of people might have issues with those rights, but what can I say? I didn't make the society. I'm just a part of it. If someone wants to change it, they are most welcome. I'm sure their post will get more viral than my post!"