Mahira Khan Features In BBC’s ‘100 Most Inspiring & Influential Women’ List

The celebrated and respected Diva of Pakistan who has produced master-pieces across various industries, be it Lollywood or Bollywood has once again taken the name of Pakistan to greater heights on a global scale.

The BBC published its annual list of 100 inspiring and influential women on the planet for 2020. Not so surprisingly, Mahira Khan is featured in this list. “In a year of incredible change, it is only fitting that we acknowledge the female leaders who have helped us weather the storm,” BBC commented about releasing this influential list.

Why Is Mahira Khan In The List?

The actress is not an ordinary celebrity. She has remained outspoken about global issues which are important and need attention.

Mahira Khan has been chosen, BBC mentioned in its statement as she is ‘outspoken’ about several issues.

“Mahira Khan is no ordinary actress – she is outspoken against sexual violence, refuses to endorse skin-lightening creams and supports the fight against racism. She wants to tackle social issues in her native Pakistan by changing the narrative in films and on TV”.

Mahira has also been honored with her name in the list for her popularity as an accomplished actress. BBC statement read, “She’s been a firm favorite with audiences ever since starting out as an MTV video jockey (VJ) in 2006.” It also added, “She wants to tackle social issues in her native Pakistan by changing the narrative in films and on TV.”

Works Of Mahira Khan

Mahira was appointed as the national goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in November 2019. Under this role, Khan is raising awareness about the plights and dilemmas of the Afghan refugees that are settled in the soil of Pakistan.

The previous year, Mahira released a video featuringthe following stars- Riz Ahmed, Cate Blanchett, Ben Stiller, Benedict Cumberbatch and other celebrities around the world who openly spoke and raised awareness about the lives and troubles refugees around the world have to face. In the video, the Pakistani actress said, “We’re proud to speak up for refugees everywhere. We all have a part to play in helping somebody else., including me. What will yours be?”

Other Names In The List

Apart from Mahira Khan, Sania Nishtar is also a well-known name who is a part of BBC’s newly published list.

Sania Nishtar is a leader in global health and sustainable development and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister of Pakistan on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection. Ehsaas Poverty Alleviation Programme in Pakistan is led by her. The programme provided livelihood opportunities and significantly improved the social status of many people in the country who were under the poverty line.

This year, the BBC list includes women from various fields such as sports, politics, actors, climate activists etc. The list of 100 women includes four powerful women from India who have made the nation proud of their achievements in certain fields. And their names are Bilkis Bano, Manasi Joshi, Isaivani and Ridhima Pandey. Learn more to know more about each woman. In addition, one space on the list was left blank as a gift to all other women who have made a self-sacrificing work this year.