Pakistani woman celebrates divorce with joyful dance

A Pakistani woman celebrated her divorce with a joyous dance at a family wedding, aiming to challenge stereotypes surrounding divorced women and highlight that "freedom" brings the ultimate happiness everyone deserves.

Azima Ihsan, a mother of three, shared a video on Instagram of her vibrant dance to the Punjabi hit Maghron La. Surrounded by loved ones cheering her on, she danced joyfully in a traditional gharara.

Pouring her heart into the performance, Azima also shared a thoughtful caption explaining why she chose to celebrate her divorce. She expressed her desire to break the societal labels attached to divorced women, who are often seen as undeserving of happiness or a fresh start.

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"Divorced. Desi. Thriving."—this is how she began her heartfelt post.

"Divorce in the Pakistani community—tbh, is treated like a death sentence, especially for women. I was told my life was over, I’d regret it, my life was going to go downhill, and happiness? Forget it. The judgment still comes, but guess what? I dance through it. I laugh through it. Life isn’t as bad as I was told it would be. The opposite actually."

Azima revealed that she never wanted a divorce and had hoped to make her marriage work, but the relationship became increasingly difficult, affecting not just her but also her three children. She emphasised that ending the marriage was ultimately the best decision for both her and her ex-husband.

Having separated from her partner two years ago, Azima now embraced life with joy, stressing that marriages "should be built on love and respect, not fear of stigma."

Watch: Woman celebrates her divorce by dancing to Bollywood songs

She also encouraged women to stand up for themselves rather than endure unhappy marriages out of societal pressure.

Highlighting self-love, Azima shared that she now earns her own money, spends it as she pleases, and proudly calls herself her own "favorite."