Daily Times

This year’s Aurat March Lahore’s theme was Feminism in Time of Crisis. The organisers encouraged posters and placards that highlighted concerns with respect to the same.

The team also issued a disclaimer ahead of the march about its zero-tolerance policy towards discriminatory placards.

“We will not condone any message that will instigate or propagate violence and hate speech,” they had declared.

In light of the same, actor Iffat Omar took to the streets of Lahore on Wednesday to march for pay parity and equal rights for women. Her placard read: “Kaam pura tou ujrat aadhi kiun?” which roughly translates to, “Why pay half for a job well done?”

A picture of Omar holding the placard was also shared on a news outlet’s Instagram. While the actor’s demand was neither discriminatory nor instigating hate speech, it was met with disapproval from several social media users, many of whom bashed Omar unprovoked. Among the spiteful comments, a woman had written, “Because you don’t know how to act.”

In response, Omar lashed out, “If I don’t know how to act, then why do chase me for work? I refuse to work! So literally, go to hell if you are ridiculing pay gap in Pakistan.” She then pointed out, “I don’t know how to act but even Mahira doesn’t get paid as much as Fawad. Women like you, who don’t support other women demanding their basic human rights, are the biggest disappointment.”

In another comment, the same user had written, “Talk about wage disparity but at least pick a sector where it actually happens.”

Triggered by the placard, many continued to pass hateful remarks at Omar. A user spewed, “It’s because of your face, the rest of them get paid full.” Another wrote, “Say this to the people who paid you half.” Omar has not responded to the personal attacks.