Designer Maheen Khan is returning her Lux Style awards in solidarity with victims of abuse

This is not a good year for the Lux Style Awards. Designer Maheen Khan has joined director Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy and announced that she will be returning her awards in support of victims of domestic violence.

Khan, a giant in the fashion industry, posted a note on Instagram calling out the awards for not being a platform that “nurture[s] justice”.

“In a world where one in three women worldwide experience physical or sexual assault, where rape and domestic abuse remains unaddressed, it is imperative that those who have a voice must use it,” read the caption of a picture posted Sunday night.

“Physical abuse against women and girls is a human rights violation. Today it is someone’s daughter, tomorrow it might be yours. While so many of us have raised our voices against the deaths of Zainab, Noor and others, the disregard and insensitivity of a recent award show is a travesty,” she said.

“In all conscience I can no longer associate my self with an event that disregards their plight. I will be returning my Lux Style Awards in solidarity with those who continue to suffer the infringement of their basic human right to live free from violence.

“It is a sad day as I had such hopes for the Lux Style Award show to be not just a champion of style but a platform that nurtured justice for women and stood out as a proud beacon of hope for every child and woman who has been violated,” read the caption.

The LSAs are no stranger to controversy but this year, the awards were overshadowed by one nomination — that of Feroze Khan, who has been accused of domestic violence by his ex-wife Aliza Sultan. His nomination — and subsequent win — for Best Actor (Viewer’s Choice), left many people enraged. Obaid Chinoy announced prior to the show that she was returning her lifetime award over his nomination and social media was awash with criticism of the LSAs.

In response, the organisers said their hands were tied as “respecting the freedom and diversity of audience views, [they do] not regulate or limit engagement (except in cases of content with obscene or inappropriate language) on our social media platforms.”