Actor and TV host Ahsan Khan has urged parents to raise their daughters with independence and strength. In a recent interview with FUCHSIA Magazine, Khan shared his views on gender roles and the challenges girls face growing up, especially in Pakistan. He said that girls must be taught to face life with confidence and emotional strength.
Khan stated that many families don’t invest in their daughters the way they do in sons. “Raise girls to be independent so they can navigate life on their own,” he advised. He stressed that independence does not mean giving up one’s values, culture, or religion. Instead, it means becoming aware and capable.
He shared that women often suffer deeply when they lose a partner, as they haven’t been taught how to live independently. “I’ve seen women break down because they don’t know how to carry on without a man,” he said. Khan believes practical skills and emotional resilience are both crucial for daughters.
To counter criticism, Ahsan clarified that women’s empowerment isn’t just a Western idea. He pointed to Islamic examples like Hazrat Khadija (RA), who was financially independent and played a key role in supporting Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). “She made life easier for him,” Khan said. “That’s not Western. That’s Islamic.”
Ahsan has long supported women’s rights. He joined the White Ribbon Campaign in 2016, which works to end violence against women. “Change begins with men,” he said. He urged parents to give girls the tools to survive, thrive, and lead with dignity, whether or not they have someone to rely on.