"Main unke lashkar main hun:" Khalil-ur-Rehman stands with Maria B against Barzakh

Renowned dramatist Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar has expressed his support for Pakistani fashion designer Maria B in her opposition to the controversial web series 'Barzakh'.

In his recent interview with a private news channel, the playwright called Maria a "good, honest, and truthful woman who is fighting to save societal values".

"Maria B is standing up against the agenda to promote homosexuality in our society, and I stand with her," the Meray Pass Tum Ho writer said.

Qamar criticised the makers of Barzakh and similar dramas, saying, "They are reprehensible for promoting homosexuality through their work." 

He believes that such content is created "under an agenda" to make the act acceptable in society.

Without naming anyone, Qamar called the actors, directors, and writers involved in Barzakh "tools of agenda pushers." 

"I haven't seen Barzakh, but its story and depiction of homosexuality show that it's made under an agenda," he added.

"There are gay people in the industry, but I don't know how many. If Maria B says 80 percent people in showbiz are gay, she must be right. She's not a liar."

"I stand with her in opposing Barzakh and homosexuality," the Pyaray Afzal writer concluded.

The series, directed and written by Asim Abbasi, stirred controversy when it featured two men engaging in an intimate moment.

The online drama, which starred Fawad Khan alongside Sanam Saeed, was launched on July 19 on the OTT platform Zee5 and the YouTube channel Zindagi.

Later, writer Abbasi defended the alleged promotion of homosexuality in the series by advising people to refrain from watching the show.

“With all due respect, if you find queer/non-heteronormative storylines distasteful, please do not watch my content,” he stated on his Instagram story.

Asim asserted that he would continue to “champion the rights for all and tell stories” that he believed in.

However, Indian platform Zindagi removed its controversial series from YouTube Pakistan after facing intense public backlash.

On the other hand, Maria B decided to take legal action against the drama despite its removal from the video-sharing platform.