Comments on: Tahmena Bokhari Crowned The New Mrs. Pakistan World 2010

By: James

James — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:17:12 +0000

I am curious why the Pak Spectator did not cover any news about Tahmena’s trip to London? She spoke at a conference there, and met many dignitaries. Many Pakistani women were inspired by this. Many men in fact were inspired by her. I suggest you all visit her blog at http://tahmenabokhari.blogspot.com/

By: Jamal

Jamal — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:14:53 +0000

Quite frankly, as a Pakistani male I wish my wife and daughters and sisters were more like Tahmena. My sisters have been shut down whenever they had a passion, and hence only became housewives with no awareness of what is happening in the world. My wife comes from a religious and uneducated family and when we got married I had wished she would speak better English and dress more westernized since we live in the west. It took her a long time to get used to it and now she is even starting to learn to swim. I love to see my wife in all kinds of clothing and I wish there was not this taboo in the culture. As a man, I feel the way a woman dresses is none of my business and I should not dictate because of my own deficiencies how she should dress. I also think that we are giving men permission to be animals, thinking that showing a shoulder will mean that a man will get turned on and wont be able to control his behaviour or his thoughts. I think that is ridiculous. I have lived in the west all my life and see women in bikinis and skirts all the time, and frankly I do not feel I turn in to some animal when I see them. It is not fair to women that because men are afraid of their own behaviour that women than have to limit themselves. I think as men we have to better role models and respect all women, despite what they are wearing. I think the world would be a better place if women were more actively involved and we as men should encourage this, not criticise a woman for petty things.

By: Jay

Jay — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:34:32 +0000

I am impressed with people like Tahmena. Personally I did not think of her as someone who would be in a pageant. I have so much respect for her and thought perhaps this is just a fun hobbie for Tahmena. I mean she has done so much for others so why not try this for herself as something different. But once I saw what the pageant was about, meaning more focus on brains and acting as an ambassador for the country, I could think of no one better than Tahmena to hold this title. I mean just read her interview above. She is obviously one very intelligent and world class lady. She is one of my role models and I think role model for many. She clearly states above that she is not here to represent Muslims nor is she the spokesperson on Islam. She is simply her to show the world a new side of Pakistan and she is doing a great job of that. I feel there is a strong segment of the Pakistani community which can relate to Tahmena, and a strong segment that will learn from her. I have heard many women say how inspiring they find her. Look at all the identities she manages so very carefully. I do not know any one who does it so well and that is why I look to her as a role model. We need more Pakistanis winning these kinds of titles, as well as in the olympics, in every sport, in dance, in art and every area. Thank you Tahmena for paving the way for others and helping to open all of our minds.

By: N Shah

N Shah — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:23:47 +0000

am a Pakistan male, and not that I like to brag about my old age but certainly quite senior member of our community. I have to tell you that I admire Tahmena Bokhari a great deal and support her and anything she participates in. I am proud that bmsd invited her to speak at their wonderful and refreshing conference. It is sad to say that in my many years, many travels and the wide network of friends that I have I do not know many Pakistani women or any women to be like Tahmena. Women like her are rare and we must support them, she is what leadership is made out of. Tahmena is bold, educated, strong, independent, caring, a humanitarian, family oriented and all these qualities in one person who seems to carry it all so well and make it look easy. Her beauty is that she has so many traits, so many people can relate to her, but she never forgets who she is and where she has come from. She is the most well balanced and well rounded person I know. I believe that clothes do not make a person, but rather the deads a person does. Tahmena has done a lot, more than many so called leaders that I know, more than these politicians and certainly more than many men I know who claim to be experts in Islam. Tahmena advocates to be a strong and positive person, to contribute to your community and to know yourself. She has worked for the community since she was just a child, has served over 7000 clients, donating her time, money and energy to Pakistanis. She lived with the victims of the earthquake in tents, she served in countries around the world, lived in tiny dirty sheds with the people she was serving and not in a hotel, she helped feed the kids of these poor widowed women, as dirty and sick as they were she held them in her arms where many would not even want to be near them. She wanted to be with the people, to understand them and help them in a way that they wanted. She did not have to do that, but she did! She does not have to do anything at all, but she does. Many in her shoes are using their education and money only to help themselves. She is using her privilege to promote the messages she believes in and for justice, which quite frankly many do not have the know-how or the guts to do. Women have not been encouraged in our community to dream big and then work on their dreams, and that is what Tahmena is giving to a lot of women. I would be proud if the children in my family would be like Tahmena, bold and passionate, that goes for the women and the men. Thank you

By: Mila

Mila — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 01:53:23 +0000

Again, reminder to please read up on Tahmena Bokhari and not just the press release above. There is a lot more news about her and she has spent years working on causes for the country. This is why we need Tahmena, because as soon as any one does any thing positive in our community, every amir, ahmed, muhamad and mehmood has his boxers in a knot. This is why Pakistan is not producing good leaders…haters like some of the commentators here will not let them rise……and now we are a society of isolated people with no direction or vision except that of the terrorits. Wake up people!!!

By: Mila

Mila — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 01:50:03 +0000

To all those who are critics, what have you done for humanity? You are so narrow minded that a woman who merely shows her shoulders is somehow a bad person or opening her legs and having children with unknown fathers? What kind of isolated cave do you live in? Sorry to sound offensive but I am just so very offended that any woman would be described like that. Please take a careful look at who the person we are talking about here….she is more than looks. And no, she is not saying that only women from her country are beautiful, if you actually read her work, she says that we all can be beautiful. She says that when we think of Pakistan, the world should think of beauty and not terror which is so far the case. She is helping change the image of our country. And thank God, otherwise we would only have the voices of men who are angry, probably were abused themselves, were deprived of love and probably secretly jack-off to pictures of women on the internet… are now hating on other people and furthering the cycle of hate. So sick of men dictating what a woman should be. Go and get some education, some counselling and better yourself!

By: Mila

Mila — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 01:42:15 +0000

Tahmena is a doing a lot for women, for Pakistan and for South Asia. She is making change. While many are sitting around complaining, she has bettered herself and is now bettering the world. Many are just jealous that they cannot be Mrs Pakistan, that they are not beautiful or educated or being noticed. To the one negative commentator on here I ask, what have you ever done? I am glad to see so many positive and supportive comments and just this one negative person who is obviously out of it. That’s our problem, when someone does do something to make the world better all we do is criticise. I know Tahmena will capture everyone’s hearts. Tahmena is such a beautiful person, when you talk to her you learn so much, you feel so good, she gets it, she listens, she understands. She is above and beyond the average person…..and I do liken her to the modern day Mother Theresa….or the Lady Diana of Pakistan. Just get to know her and for the sake of Pakistanis everywhere, pleeeaaase support her. She has a fan page on facebook that you can join at
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tahmena-Bokhari/19226142858

By: Khurram

Khurram — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 16:40:31 +0000

And what is the true Islamic approach? I just so sick and tired of people saying that?
It seems that Every Pakistani is an expert in religion! and funny thing is all of them have different ideas! Wake up people, and look at what you are doing. There are other religions in Pakistan and many people practice Islam differently. I would even say that in practice, it is the man’s version we hear most about and somehow the men who are abusing their wives and children do not get criticised for being unIslamic! Listen to Tahmena, she speaks much more eloquently that me, remove this anger and hate from yourself and then we can have a true discussion and get somewhere! I hope that my daughters will have a better future as women because people like Tahmena are out there making new pathways for women.

By: Sara

Sara — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 16:33:48 +0000

I think some readers are clearly missing the point. She does not claim to represent Islam, she is a woman out there showing how beautiful and wonderful her country is. Please read her information very carefully, she promotes diversity of ideas and caring for others. She is urging us to remove anger, hate and discrimition from our minds and ideas. I can see that seems very hard for many out there to do, thats why we need more women like her. This is why women never make it. We get backlash from every one. I support Tahmena all the way. Finally a woman out there with such guts!

By: Mila Bokhari

Mila Bokhari — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 20:54:39 +0000

Tahmena Bokhari is an amazing woman. Get to know her and her message before criticising a woman who has dedicated her life for social change.