Tag: consent

  • Here’s how Imran Ashraf won audiences over during a show

    Here’s how Imran Ashraf won audiences over during a show

    A video of actor and host Imran Ashraf attending a show is getting a lot of attention on social media and for all the right reasons.

    In the video, Ashraf invites a young child from the audience to come on stage. Before touching the little girl, he asked for permission from the child’s parents.

    He said, “Can I touch her? Is it allowed?” The girl’s mother gave him permission, and then he had a conversation with the girl.

    The child, Mantsha, recited a poem for Imran Ashraf, and the audience applauded. Many people on social media praised Imran for asking permission before touching the girl.

    Actress Nadia Hussain said it was the best act she had seen from any Pakistani celebrity and sent prayers.

    Actor Muneeb Butt shared a heart emoji, and others also appreciated Imran’s respectful gesture.

  • ‘I asked is this related to the motorway incident’: Hadiqa Kiani on motorway rape survivor statement

    ‘I asked is this related to the motorway incident’: Hadiqa Kiani on motorway rape survivor statement

    Intense backlash rose on Monday when journalist Fereeha Idress revealed how the drama ‘Hadsa’ was similar to the horrific motorway rape crime, stressing that the survivor was traumatised after seeing her ordeal being depicted online without her consent. Now actress Hadiqa Kiani has responded to the backlash with a lengthy statement where she clarified that initially while reading the script, she had found a lot of similarities between the crime and the storyline, but agreed to do the project after several discussions with the writer.

    “When I was asked to do the role of Taskeen for Hadsa my first question was ‘Is this related to the motorway incident?’ ‘Is this based off the true incident?’ – I made it clear that I would not do the project if it was based off anyone’s story. The team behind the project explicitly told me ‘No’. After many conversations with the team and only after reading the script I understood that Hadsa was not related to or based off on the motorway story.”

    The ‘Janaan’ singer then shared how necessary she felt it was to do a project like Hadsa which was about how rape was a reality of the world that we live in.

    “These are the realities of the world we live in. I have sadly been exposed to so many stories like this one but I can say that Hadsa is not based off on any one’s story, but based off on a sickly common part of our reality.”

    While we appreciate the fact that Hadiqa recognised the reason behind the backlash and came forward to give her side of the story in, the reality remains that the team behind ‘Hadsa’ should have done a better job in executing such a sensitive topic. If the actress had felt in the beginning while reading the script that it was quite similar to the 2020 crime, it should have been her duty right away to step away from a project that was profitting off from the misery and trauma of a survivor, or even chosen to consult her to keep them in the loop.

    Also, ‘Hadsa’ team should have consulted with experts about depicting sensitive topics- such as calling rape a “misfortune”‘, or displaying acts of violence and sexual abuse so graphically, so that rape and sexual abuse survivors are not forced to relive their trauma.

    Actress Hadiqa Kiani is starring in a new drama series ‘Hadsa’ which depicts the life of a headstrong woman, who is raped while travelling with her son on an empty highway. Many users since the drama began airing, pointed out how the drama’s storyline was similar to the horrifying motorway rape case of 2021, when a woman travelling on motorway with her two children was assaulted and raped by two men infront of her two children. The drama is written by Zanjabeel Asim Shah, and directed by Wajahat Rauf, and stars Aly Khan, Romaisa Khan, Khaqan Shahnawaz.

    Journalist Fereeha Idress, who reported the account of the anonymous survivor, has now taken to X, formerly Twitter, to slam the makers behind ‘Hadsa’ for violating the privacy of the lone survivor, who revealed that the makers, nor the star-studded cast and crew, had approached her for consent on making a drama about a horrifying ordeal she had undergone.

    In a lengthy statement, Fereeha said the survivor, Z, had tried to keep her and her family’s identity protected, after undergoing the trauma, but was once more triggered by the depictions in the show.

    “They have made a drama on my life,” Fereeha tweeted Z told her. “As if I am nothing, no one asked me, it’s same, they are showing the same things, oh my God! Why didn’t I die before reliving this again? You know , I didn’t sleep after the incident for many many nights and it’s all back now, I haven’t slept a wink since I saw this terrible, horrendous depiction of the most terrible moments of my life which I so want to forget. It’s unbearable, I start shivering every day at 5 pm because I know the drama is coming at 7 pm. Why are they doing this to me?”.

    The journalist slammed the creators for forcing the survivor to re-live the trauma and not taking into consideration the ordeal she, her loved ones, including the children had gone through. Rather than allowing her to heal and tell the incident on her own choice, they made a drama out of it.-

    “The moment the drama episode goes on air, all comments start talking about motorway incident. Can’t they let me forget about this? They have followed my life. Isn’t this harassment? How they traced things in my life when I was so clear of keeping everything so private? My in laws must be watching it, my brother in law, my mother, my neighbours, oh my God! No one even cared to ask me? I am not dead yet! Do they want me dead? Can’t I just forget about this and move on?”

    In the next tweet, Fereeha wrote that Z, the survivor, was in extreme distress, speaking to the journalist on the phone. The drama had forced her to re-live the ordeal all over again.

    “My question is when everyone knew I never wanted to come in the limelight, why was I thrown into it again and again? So many known people, celebrities, politicians etc wanted to come and meet me or talk to me post incident, but I always declined because I wanted my privacy and didn’t want anything else but the culprits punished. Is it all about making money? Does no one care what I am going through by this triggered trauma? What my kids and husband will be going through? Do they even know how I am spending my life? Everyday is a struggle. I am being thick skinned and staying alive only for my children. They didn’t even care for my children. Do you know my kids have not forgotten..”

    Z requested the journalist to get the drama stopped, so that she would stopped being approached by public figures or being recognised as the ‘motorway wali’.

    “Can you pls get this drama stopped? Can Pak pls help me stop this? It’s like whole world is watching my misery and pain as I am reliving it. Pls tell them to make this once I am dead, I am alive right now or did they think I would have died? And pls not even after my death as I have children, they can make this after we have all died”

    There has been no response from the makers behind the drama, or from the lead star Hadiqa Kiani and the rest of the actors on this accusation.

    This is not the first time Pakistani dramas have been accused of ripping of the trials and ordeals of survivors, without taking consent from the family members or giving them a portion of the profits earned. Previously, it was Bhaagi, starring Saba Qamar, which was accused for depicting the life of the social media star Qandeel Baloch, without the consent of her family members. As Nighat Dad tweeted the father of the murdered star, Azeem Baba, was informed by other villagers that a drama was made on his daughter’s life.

  • ‘Qabool hai’ is for the woman too Moulvi sahib, not her father

    ‘Qabool hai’ is for the woman too Moulvi sahib, not her father

    In the wildest twist of events, it turns out that sometimes, even during your Nikkah, women are not asked if they accept the marriage or not.

    A video went viral on Instagram where television host Aisha Abrar was seen sitting for her Nikkah with her husband, where the molvi was seen asking her husband about whether he had accepted the marriage. He did not ask Aisha for her consent. Her husband asked the molvi to ask his wife for whether she had consented to the marriage. Aisha wrote on Instagram:

    “I told him all I really want is to say: “Qubool hai” which I never got to say . I did not only want to sign the papers and be done with it.

    The Maulvi sahab did not give me a chance to say “Qubool hai” so my boyo ensured I get to say something affirmative also. Qubool hai ki bajaaye manzoor hai but hua to sahi!”

    We would like all women to remember that during your Nikkah, it is important for the moulvi sahib to ask the girl and the boy separately if they wish to get married. It’s not the girl’s representative, who answers this question for her.

    The video had received over 30,000 likes on Instagram with many users applauding the husband for taking a stand and acknowledging his wife’s right.

    ‘It’s important to ask the girl herself…glad your partner took a stand for you,” another user wrote.

    Women shared their own stories in the comments section as well of the times they had taken a stand and asked that they are consulted about their consent before signing the nikkahnama.

  • ‘Hum 2 Humaray 100’ dedicated an episode to teaching children about consent

    At a time when television is littered with misogyny and misrepresentation of women and their issues, it is heart warming to witness shows like ‘Hum 2 Hamaray 100’ take the lead in creating awareness about social issues.
    The show recently broadcast a poignant scene where they recognized the rights and responsilibities of children in Pakistan.
    A grown adult sits down with children in a room and teaches them about the good touch/ bad touch concept. She explains to the children that if any adult, aside from their parents touches them without their consent and makes them feel uncomfortable, then they must immediately tell their parents.
    The writer, Syed Zain Raza, shared the clip on his Instagram account, and in the caption he wrote that because of a rise in rape and sexual assualt cases in Pakistan, he felt it was necessary to teach children about body autonomy and learning to say ‘no’.

    “GOOD TOUCH / BAD TOUCH

    In this episode of Hum 2 Humaray 100 we tried to talk about an extremely important topic that is more prevalent than ever, but we rarely see conversations around it. Our children are unsafe in parks, schools, neighbourhoods, transit, and sometimes even their homes. This is why they need to know about good touch and bad touch. They need to know when they are in danger.

    If we don’t have these conversations with them in a positive way, then someone else will have them in a negative way. Children should be taught about bodily autonomy and what to do if they feel threatened, scared, and uncomfortable around an adult. They need to be told that they will not get in trouble for telling their parents and that it is never their fault.

    I was really glad that the channel allowed us to talk about this sensitive topic without any censoring and/or dictations. And most importantly, thank you to my director @angelinemalikofficial who allowed me to go ahead and write about all these topics with her full support! It is a boon to have a progressive and woke director in a time like this.”

    In the comments section, social media users applauded the show runners for addressing a sensitive topic in a gentle and uncensored manner, which would help more parents and children watching this show learn how to communicate with each other regarding matters of bodily autonomy.

    Activist and makeup artist Leena Ghani praised the writer for bringing such an important topic to mainstream channels and dealing with it in a sensitive way.

    “Such an important conversation about consent and done with so much sensitivity and care. Well done Zain. This is the kind of content and awareness we need,” she wrote.

    Another user recalled the impact this scene had on her mother, that she went on to give the same guidance about consent to her neices.
    “Mother was watching this scene on TV and it impacted her so much that right after that when nieces came she needed to explain this to them. Quite powerful ”

  • This clothing brand’s new campaign is creating awareness about reading your Nikkahnama before signing it

    This clothing brand’s new campaign is creating awareness about reading your Nikkahnama before signing it

    Clothing brand Generation, in collaboration with Centre For Human Rights, has launched a campaign to create awareness about the legal aspects of a Nikkahnama and the importance of reading it before signing.

    One of the posts talk about the legal aspect of officiating a Nikkah. “Your Nikkah can be officiated by any adult, a cleric, your favourite aunt, your best friend or whoever you choose and trust to have your best interests at heart can officiate your Nikkah and it will be legal and binding according to Pakistani law.”

    Another post reads about the little known fact about the bride’s right to encapsulate special conditions in the Nikkahnama.

    “Did you know? As the bride entering a marriage, you can add any sort of special conditions to the Nikkahnama, they could be as cute as going on a vacation every few months or as serious as reserving the right to education and continue working after marriage. Pakistani law also empowers you to ask for delegated right to divorce, a much simpler process in comparison to Khula.”

    “However it is imperative to not have the section crossed out in your Nikkahnama.”

    The campaign also talks about the groom’s right to enter special conditions.

    The campaign is being lauded by most people. However, it is also getting criticism from some sections of society for unconventional thinking. One social media user criticised the campaign, saying, “Women can not officiate a Nikkah.