Pakistan Fashion Week Defies Taliban with Non-Islamic Dress
THE TELEGRAPH: Pakistan's fashion week began on Wednesday in defiance of the Taliban's preference for strict adherence to modest Islamic veils.

As Pakistan's army battled religious extremists in South Waziristan, Karachi's top designers sent models down catwalks with bare shoulders and exposed navels in an unusual display of skin in a country where most women cover up.

Sonya Battla, the first designer to show, presented a collection that she said celebrated strong women. She dismissed the fact that in more conservative parts of the country, her designs might get women driven out of town or stoned to death.

A model presents a creation by Pakistani designer Aiesha Varsey during the Pakistan Fashion Week in Karachi on November 4, 2009. Pakistan's fashion week began on November 4 with an opulent opening ceremony, against a backdrop of militant violence and secu[rity]. Photo: The Telegraph
"I'm a very brave woman," said the 38-year-old designer. "I'm not going to be scared and no one's going to judge me." >>> Chris Allbritton in Karachi | Thursday, November 05, 2009