Actor and director Yasir Hussain has raised his voice against discriminatory treatment reported at some of Karachi’s upscale clubs and restaurants, where patrons wearing traditional attire are allegedly being denied service.

In an Instagram Story posted on Friday, Hussain responded to reports that a man was turned away from a restaurant in Karachi for wearing shalwar kameez, the national dress of Pakistan. “There is increasing disrespect towards shalwar kameez. This drama has started in many clubs and fine-dining restaurants,” he wrote, labelling them as “Wannabe Angrez.”

Actor Mishi Khan also publicly criticised the same establishment. In a video posted on her Instagram, she said, “I am shocked. Can you believe they called our national dress cheap? We’re running on foreign funding, paying double the debt, we lack jobs and resources, and just look at their attitude! As if they’re from Switzerland!” The outrage is justified, as she questions what exactly these people deem as appropriate dress: “What are we supposed to wear now? Should we wear bikinis or hot pants just to be allowed in? I will definitely find out which restaurant this is, and I will reveal its name to you.”

This controversy involved a man reportedly identified as Advocate Abdul Latif, who alleged that he was turned away and that the staff told him, “We don’t serve pendus,” using a derogatory term for rural or unfashionable people. Latif said that after facing humiliation, he sent a legal notice to the restaurant, but the administration has yet to respond. He has now approached the Consumer Court, seeking action against the restaurant.

The shalwar kameez is Pakistan’s national dress and a cultural symbol. Yet, private venues enforcing Western dress codes have sparked debate over class-based discrimination and cultural erasure. Hussain pointedly remarked that venue owners have adopted an attitude towards traditional dress similar to their attitude towards Urdu.

The matter has drawn public backlash. Social media users have demanded identification and a boycott of the restaurant. One user wrote, “Truly boycott such restaurants — they will remember their place. Speak to them in their own language, and they will stay within their limits.” Another user echoed, “Agreed. We should take a stand on this!”