Pakistani singer Aima Baig has managed to offend some people in her country — by getting married. Her marriage to fashion designer Zain Ahmed — founder of the global streetwear label Rastah — has been described as ‘illegal’ by some Pakistani social media users because of his sect.
Zain Ahmed is an Ahmadi, a member of Pakistan’s most persecuted religious minority. He is the great-great-grandson of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the 19th-century founder of the Ahmadiyya movement.
While mainstream clerics regard Ahmadis as heretics, Pakistan’s constitution declared them non-Muslim in 1974. The community continues to face legal restrictions, violence, and widespread discrimination—from being barred from voting to being prohibited from calling themselves Muslim.
Some Pakistanis attacked Baig for choosing to marry Ahmed.
“Marrying a Qadiani means your Nikah isn’t halal. Qadianis are not Muslims but a minority in Pakistan. Imagine taking pride in marrying a non-Muslim publicly & then people drooling over that haram relationship,” Pakistani user Zeeshan wrote on X.
The term “Qadiani” is often used as a slur for Ahmadis in Pakistan.
Even Baig herself was caught in the crossfire. When one X user declared that she “has done a lot of bad things herself,” Zeeshan, the author of the original post, replied:
“Muslim can do as many bad things but will remain a Muslim untill do shirk but marrying a non Muslim will get them in same category too [sic].”
Some support Aima Baig
However, many were quick to come to Baig’s defense, calling out the hypocrisy and obsession with policing private lives.
“This tweet is a prime example of what’s fundamentally wrong with Pakistan. Poking into others’ personal choices and distributing halal/haram certificates like it’s a religious and national duty,” Pakistani X user Tanzeela Niazi wrote in response.
Another user drew attention to the real issues being ignored:
“No one talks about forced marriages after forced conversions… marital rape… or how women are denied their right to divorce. But this is where they draw the line? Shame indeed.”
Others pointed out the double standards around interfaith marriages:
“Qadiyanis follow a belief system way closer to Islam than Christians or Jews but somehow y’all lose your minds over them while casually blessing Muslim men marrying women who don’t even believe Prophet Mohammed was real. The hypocrisy is wild,” X user Meher Khawaja wrote.
Baig is a household name with hits like Baazi, Do Bol, Funkari, and memorable Coke Studio duets.
Meanwhile, under Ahmed’s direction, Rastah has become Pakistan’s most internationally visible fashion brand, with outfits worn by Justin Bieber, Riz Ahmed, French Montana, Karan Johar, and Anil Kapoor.
Religion and persecution
Pakistan is home to the largest Ahmadi population in the world, yet the community remains effectively disenfranchised. Ahmadis are regarded as heretics by mainstream Islamic sects and were officially declared non-Muslims under Pakistan’s 1974 constitutional amendment.
They are also denied the right to vote unless they first identify as non-Muslim, a requirement that directly contradicts their faith. In protest, the community boycotted the 2024 general elections, citing systemic disenfranchisement and a growing climate of religious intolerance.
(Edited by Prashant)
Ahmadis were the foremost proponents of the Two Nation theory. They led the Pakistan Movement which resulted in the partition. But today they find themselves much more safe and secure in India – a country they betrayed and backstabbed.