As digital violence becomes an increasingly common part of women’s lived experience in Pakistan, a new drama is pushing the issue into mainstream cultural conversation. Aik Aur Pakeezah, launched in Lahore through a partnership between the Government of Canada and the Kashf Foundation, takes a character-driven look at the emotional, social and legal consequences of digital violations.
The drama follows Pakeezah, a young woman whose life shifts sharply when manipulated videos of her spread online. What begins as a digital attack quickly escalates into social surveillance, coerced marriage and a prolonged struggle for justice. Her story runs alongside that of Saman, a women’s rights lawyer, and Zubair, a conflicted legal practitioner. Together, their narratives expose how digital violence intersects with legal loopholes, lack of implementation of existing laws, stigma surrounding reporting, and the limited access many women have to the justice system.
At the launch event, Roshaneh Zafar, Founder and Managing Director of Kashf Foundation, underscored the relevance of the story. “Aik Aur Pakeezah asks what it means for women to reclaim dignity in digital environments that can upend their lives within minutes. Our goal is to provoke dialogue and highlight the need for legal systems that respond to the complexities women face.”
Speaking on GEO’s role in bringing the project to audiences nationwide, Mir Ibrahim Rahman, CEO of GEO Television Network, added: “Digital violence is no longer a fringe issue—it impacts women across every social and economic class. As a network, our responsibility is to ensure that stories like Aik Aur Pakeezah reach viewers and push conversations toward accountability, better implementation of laws, and a culture that supports survivors rather than silencing them.”
The launch included two panel discussions. The first, “Access to Justice in the Age of Cyber-Crime,” moderated by Reema Omar, featured Fauzia Waqar, Usama Khilji and Barrister Khadija Siddiqi. The panel explored the gaps women encounter when seeking redress for digital violence from inconsistent investigative processes to limited institutional support and the social stigma that prevents many from reporting cases at all.
The second panel, “From Script to Screen,” brought together cast members Sehar Khan, Nameer Khan, Amna Ilyas and Hina Bayaat, along with director Kashif Nissar and writer Bee Gul. They discussed how real-life experiences informed character development and the responsibility of portraying digital violence with accuracy and sensitivity, particularly when survivors often face scrutiny, disbelief and further victimization.
Through Aik Aur Pakeezah, Kashf Foundation continues its media-based advocacy aimed at challenging harmful norms and expanding public understanding of the social and legal structures women must navigate. The drama invites viewers to consider how digital violence extends beyond screens—shaping relationships, legal battles, mobility, reputation and mental wellbeing—and why stronger protections and more responsive institutions are urgently needed.