Burka Avenger backlash

The progressive Pakistani cartoon Burka Avenger has come under fire – and not from the groups you’d expect.

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The latest episode centres around a strong female lead who is a teacher by day, superhero by night. Her mission: to educate girls and end corruption. There’s a lot to like, but the cartoon has come under fire from Western and Indian media for the heroine’s unconventional attire. The main character, Jiya, wears a burka to hide her identity when fighting crime.

Last week, a Pakistani blogger expressed concern about featuring a burka on-screen in country in which many women do not have a choice in whether they cover their head or not.

According to the cartoon’s creator, Haroon Rashid, the anxiety is misguided. Jiya doesn’t wear a burka all the time – only to hide her identity as she fights crime. He says he chose the garment to give the show a local flavour, and defenders of the program have argued Jiya cleverly repurposes an existing cultural symbol to serve a progressive agenda.

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What do you think? Is the show kickass or conformist?