Key Points
Pakistani classical dancer and activist Sheema Kermani was briefly detained in Karachi during an Aurat March protest demanding event permission.
Kermani gained global recognition for her Bharatanatyam performance in Coke Studio’s hit song Pasoori.
A longtime feminist and cultural activist, she has spent decades promoting women’s rights and classical dance in Pakistan despite conservative opposition.
Renowned Pakistani classical dancer and women’s rights activist Sheema Kermani was detained in Karachi, Pakistan on Tuesday, 5th May 2026. The visuals of the 75-year-old dancer slash activist being hauled away by policewomen have since gone viral on social media, sparking a fresh debate around women’s rights activism in Pakistan. Allegations of manhandling of the veteran performer by police officers have also emerged forth.
Kermani is renowned for her classical dance sequence in Coke Studio’s globally-acclaimed Pakistani track ‘Pasoori.’
On Tuesday, Kermani, alongwith seven “Aurat March” activists, were briefly apprehended outside the Press Club by the Sindh police. The activists had assembled together for a scheduled press conference, demanding for a no-objection certificate (NOC) for an upcoming Aurat March Event in Karachi. Later, an order of release was given by the Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar. Organizers of the Aurat Murch affirmed that Kermani, in addition to transgender rights activist Shahzadi Rai, were among those released shortly afterwards.
Kermani is often designated as Pakistan’s living legend for her more than four decades of activism.
One of the most renowned and recognized classical folk dancers in Pakistan, Kermani is a woman of many talents. She has also worked as a theatre artist. Born in Rawalpindi, Punjab in 1951, she has spent decades promoting performing arts, feminism and progressive politics in Pakistan.
Despite facing opposition from conservatives, Sheema has played crucial roles in conserving the Bharatanatyam art form in Pakistan, in spite of getting targeted over her promotion of ‘Indian culture.’ Over the years, she has emerged as a prominent and revered cultural figure across the country and in other south asian countries as well.
Her introduction with the younger generation came with the Pakistani song Pasoori sung by Ali Sethi and Shae Gill, which was produced by Coke Studio. Her Bharatanatyam performance in the song earned her international recognition and prominence. When conceptualizing the dance steps for the number, Sheem remarked that she "did not want to go along the line of literal depiction of words, but [instead] felt that the movements should be abstract but suggestive of the emotions contained within the song and music."
See also: California Indian Dance Academy set for Disney stage
Her stature as a renowned figure isn’t only limited to performing arts alone. Sheema is also the founder of the Tehrik-e-Niswan, a feminist and cultural organization that works upon women rights awareness, theatre performances, education and cultural activism in Pakistan.
Kermani is a self-designated feminist and marxist, and has persistently raised her voice against issues pertaining to gender inequality, violence against women and artistic freedom. She remains a staunch advocate for secular and progressive causes in Pakistan.
During the dictatorship of Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq in the late 1970s in Pakistan, strict cultural and religious restrictions were imposed, as well as other strict orthodox Islamic laws that were discriminatory against women and minority communities. At that time, classical dances that accentuated ecstatic expressions were deemed as ‘unislamic,’ and public dance performances saw a ban. However, Kermani, clad in iconoclastic saris, continued performing and teaching classical dance in defiance. Her dance costumes became another symbol of her protest.
Sheema Kirmani hails from a prominent family. Her father served in the Pakistan Army and later became Chairman of the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC). While her paternal roots trace back to Lucknow and Kerman, her maternal family belongs to Hyderabad.
During her visits to India as a young girl, Kirmani developed a deep fascination with Indian classical arts and dance forms, which eventually led her to pursue a career in Bharatanatyam.
She is married to noted Pakistani theatre actor and writer Khalid Ahmed, and the couple has been actively involved in Pakistan’s theatre and cultural scene for many years.
Suggested reading:
Subscribe to our channels on YouTube and WhatsApp
Download our app on Play Store