Tag: Pakistani Celebrities

  • Why did model Nimra Jacob say “Take our safety seriously” at fashion show? Here’s what we know about the alleged assault

    Why did model Nimra Jacob say “Take our safety seriously” at fashion show? Here’s what we know about the alleged assault

    A backstage video filmed at the Texpo Fashion Week, showing an alleged altercation between models Hasnain Lehri and Nimra Jacob has gone viral on social media.

    According to sources, female model Nimra Jacob had been assaulted by Lehri, after which she can be seen demanding from show organisers to take models’ safety seriously. At one point in the video, Lehri is seen being restrained by a few men present backstage.

    Since the video went viral, Jacob has addressed the incident on Instagram, demanding better treatment for models working in the fashion industry:

    “You cannot mistreat me. You can’t bully me. And you surely will not put your hands on me without consequences. We, in the fashion industry, have seen too much abuse, disrespect, and complete, utter negligence for our safety to tolerate it anymore. I have no space in my heart for forgiveness when it comes to abuse, harassment, bullying, assault, etc. Without any plausible cause, threats were made at me. I was verbally abused, and physically assaulted. My property was taken and used to blackmail me. My female colleagues were harmed in the process of trying to protect me.

    “This all happened at work,” the super model continued. “Where I made sure to bring it to the attention of the management that I was being threatened by the perpetuator before he even became violent. The management should have taken action the first time I mentioned concern for my safety. I’m lucky there were eye witnesses to this man’s horrific actions, there were people who witnesses it all. As traumatized as I am, I’m not standing alone.”

    “I refuse to let anyone abuse, threaten, intimidate, or belittle my colleagues or myself in any way.

    “Today I stand to let you know that I will call out these abusers, harassers, bullies for exactly who/what they are. Every single one of them. If we want the industry to be a safe space, we need to collectively take a stand and check disrespect at the door. We need to demand accountability for those who are supposed to ensure our safety at work. And demand zero tolerance for the perpetuators involved in spewing such violence and aggression at the workplace. I’m done with this toxic, abusive culture. No more! Enough is enough!”

    Soon other notable fashion figures like designer Kamiar Rokni condemned the incident as well as toxic male behavior on his Instagram account, stating that he was standing in solidarity with female models:

    “Toxic male behaviour needs to be addressed in the fashion industry. Violence against girls backstage at a fashion show is a new low. This cannot be allowed to happen again it is up to us to come together and make this a safe space for our girls. Our models are an invaluable part of our industry and we can’t stand around while they are abused.”

    Model Fatima Ahsan, who was also spotted in the viral video, took to Instagram to address the incident, and demanded that show organizers and sponsors make safer environments for their models:

    “So everyone’s been seeing videos from the show backstage and sending them to me, asking if I’m okay, thank you so much for your love and concern. I am fine. The incident took place with another model and could’ve happened to anyone. Luckily it didn’t escalate. But we live in a fragile country and today’s incident just reinforces how no one takes the woman’s side. We weren’t secure in the environment. And the men (except for 1 or 2), they either stood and watched or tried to brush our concerns under the table and get the women to retract. Later they said let them deal with it themselves, let’s leave. Yes, let’s leave the women by themselves in an already unsafe environment. No one in charge – none of the organisers – nobody took responsibility it was only the female models that came together and took a stand.

    To all the men, show organisers, and everyone innvolved. Do better. You just walked away from injustice and we’ll remember that.”

    Model Zara Peerzada called out the organisers who hire toxic men for their shows, and asked designers to stop being complicit:

    “Stop hiring violent males to walk your shows, be in your shoots. It’s not complicated. How about when you see abuse taking place you address and intervene? It’s not complicated. Stop doing empowerment campaigns for women to sell your clothes when you don’t have an ounce of respect for them or their safety. It’s not complicated. This is not an isolated incident.”

    Visual artist and designer Rehan Bashir called this a case that showed how “standards within the industry keep plummenting towards abysmal depths”, and expressed solidarity with female models

  • ‘Then stop singing Urdu ghazals solely’: Twitter is puzzled at Arooj Aftab’s problem with being called an ‘Urdu’ singer

    Arooj Aftab has everyone in a pickle with a tweet where she asked her followers to stop associating her with Pakistani music, or calling her an ‘Urdu singer’.

    The Grammy award winning singer had tweeted:

    “Pakistani singer arooj aftab…… Urdu singer arooj aftab….. arooj Aftab’s amazing Urdu singing… like. It’s fine I guess? But can a person of color musician ever just get to be without this tag to whatever someone else is presuming is our root or heritage.”

    Twitter users were confused by this because as some pointed out, she had built up fame in Western countries using Urdu ghazals like ‘Mohabbat’.

    One user had written:

    “Nobody calls you an urdu singer in pakistan. they call you that in majority english speaking countries, where your claim to fame was an urdu ghazal. your lyrics didn’t come to that audience naturally. they recognize you geographically. we all do that with foreign language music.”

    But Aftab had to clarify in her next tweets that she was not being anti-Pakistani, nor was she criticising her own roots, but her tweets were addressing the Western media who push her into a georgraphical context, which makes it easier for her to be gate-kept.

    “Oh f***k this tweet really awakened the “she’s anti Pakistani!!!” sentiment. Great. I’m not talking about erasing or disowning roots and heritage. while touring eu/uk at the moment, I feel like pushing back on being ONLY allowed to exist in a geographic and linguistic context. This makes it easy for them to other-ize, exclude us and overlook what is achieved, and to gate keep/ glass wall what is further achievable.”

  • ‘Stop body shaming’: Twitter gets ugly over politics

    As the political crisis in the country continues, social media has been set ablaze with feuds between users and public figures. One such recent altercation took place between Iffat Omar and Sara Taseer.

    Taseer, who has been a staunch supporter of Imran Khan, had tweeted in favor of the former cricket player by asking him to pack his bags and escape the country to avoid her late father Salmaan Taseer’s fate.

    However, actress and former model Iffat Omar, who has publicly condemned Imran Khan on social media, mocked the tweet.

    To which Taseer responded by saying

    “Someone get this C grade “has been” model @OmarIffat off my case. May the excessive lip filler causing her mouth to look like a giant balloon help her to float off into the sunset, far away from civilised society where she doesn’t belong.”

    Iffat Omar retorted:

    “Was not taking to u ugly woman just asked your mad leader to listen to pathetic woman like u so chill and lay of, criticizing my lips you have some nerves woman. I mean just look at u.”

    Twitter users criticised the response to Omar as the incorrect way to respond to someone whose political beliefs are different from yours.

    https://twitter.com/Bubbleskhanum/status/1661801548249169920?s=20

  • In the latest really messed up development of ‘Tere Bin’ it turns out that Meerab, Murtasim did it consensually

    We all know that the latest act in the cesspool that is the Pakistani drama circus was the controversial promo of ‘Tere Bin’ which aired last week. The trailer implied that female lead Meerab (played by Yumna Zaidi) was raped by her husband Murtasim (played by Wahaj Ali).

    Twitter users were shocked, tagging the actors, production staff and even the writer, Nooran Makhdoom herself, to criticise the development as deeply misogynist and horrifying. But then, instead of reassuring the audience, Makhdoom decided to fan the flames even more with controversial statements given to Arab News, defending the marital rape by saying that it has been going on for a long time on Pakistani screens.

    Mmmm.. still not a good reason though.

    Finally, the episode has aired and it turns out, the sex was not rape. It was consensual.

    Yes, you read that right.

    We are dragged through the first agonizing 15 minutes of Mariam’s marriage, and her reluctance to open her heart, yada yada.

    And then we are reluctantly led to THAT scene where our favorite toxic jori, Murtasim and Meerab, actually did the deed in a consensual manner, but even that led to a lot of ronay dhonay.

    Twitter was mostly amused but some were horrified at how a once popular show has destroyed itself by pandering to sensationalism. Kudos to them for taking out the marital rape but really, where is the plot going?

    On God this is hilarious

    Chalo iss baat mein hilarious memes tou mil gayien

    https://twitter.com/thatdumbkido/status/1661426180237525023?s=20

  • Pakistan’s Population: A Brighter Future For All

    Population Experts and Government officials gathered in Islamabad to discuss improving population health in Pakistan.

    Islamabad, Pakistan – May 24, 2023 – Today marks the beginning of a two-day learning event by DAFPAK, a leading organization dedicated to improving population health outcomes in Pakistan, focused on ensuring a brighter future for Pakistan, titled “Pakistan’s Population: A Brighter Future For All.”

    Delivering Accelerated Family Planning In Pakistan (DAFPAK) is a £90m Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) programme that aims to improve family planning outcomes across Pakistan by improving access to family planning services for the most vulnerable and disseminating messages for the common good under a platform called KhairKhwah.

    “The British High Commission has been investing in family planning since 2012. Our current support programme, DAFPAK is the largest donor-funded program on family planning which has served over 8 million women and girls in mostly marginalized areas”, said Andrew Dalgleish, Acting British High Commissioner to Pakistan while addressing the event in Islamabad.

    Chief Guest, Federal Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives, Professor Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhry, emphasized the urgency of addressing the population growth rate, stating, “Unless we control our population, we won’t be able to distribute resources in a manner where we can provide healthcare, education and bright futures to our people. Our future is linked to how fast we can control Pakistan’s population growth.”

    Rapid population growth in Pakistan has created immense pressure on the country’s resources, and it has become difficult to provide essential services such as healthcare and education to all citizens. The event aims to address these issues and come up with strategies to improve population health.

    Dr Sara Shahzad, Health Advisor, FCDO highlighted the need for increased investment in healthcare infrastructure, improved partnerships with the private sector, and a holistic multi-sectoral approach towards family planning.

    Goodwill Ambassador for Population & Family Planning, Shehzad Roy, while addressing the event emphasised the significance of transforming mindsets alongside policy changes. “As a global ambassador of Family Planning, I would like to share that while inventing new policies is very important, what’s even more important is changing mindsets because only then we’ll be able to bring true change.”
    Over the course of two days, participants will share their insights on family planning, population growth, and its impact on the country. The event features keynote speeches, panel discussions, and interactive sessions.

    The event is being organized by Palladium Pakistan under DAFPAK-PSSD in collaboration with UNFPA, PSI, MSS, DKT, and M&C Saatchi in partnership with The Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination Islamabad, and provincial Health and Population Welfare Departments of Punjab, Sindh, and KP.

  • Ten things Anoushey Ashraf wants Pakistani women to remember

    Actress and VJ Anoushey Ashraf has shared a list of ten things she wishes all Pakistani women should remember in order to live a more fulfilled and enjoyable life.

    Taking to Instagram, she wrote that everyday she remembers to pray and thank God for all the things in her life, good or bad. Ranging from learning to be comfortable in your own skin, to standing for a cause you believe in, here are some valuable tips that Ashraf sent out to her followers.

    1 Be financially independent

    “We’ve heard this again and again but I can’t emphasize enough on being financially independent. Not only does it give you freedom of movement, it gives you self confidence in a world that isn’t to kind to our gender in general.”

    2 Stand up for yourself

    “We’ve been sold the whole ‘be patient, let it go’ narrative for way too long but if someone has said or done something to hurt you or your reputation stand up for yourself. You don’t need to take emotional abuse from anyone.”

    3 Travel solo (or with friends)

    “You do not necessarily need a partner to travel around with. Get your girlfriends and travel to exotic places. Meet new people, have unique experiences and grow. Travel is the best education.”

    4 Learn how to drive

    “Just a skill I think everyone needs to know. In case of emergency or just not being dependent on someone else driving you around all the time. Driving also gives you a sense of control (in an odd sense) it’s cool.”

    5 Confess your love to someone

    “So, you have been liking someone but waiting for him to make the first move. Wake up, girl, it’s 2023! You can ask a guy too. And it’s absolutely okay! Good luck.”

    6 Indulge in a hobby

    “This keeps me creative and motivated. Making time for reading, art, music, puzzles, spending time with my pets or just playing sports are essential to recharge my batteries and keep me sane in an otherwise chaotic life.”

    7 Be comfortable in your own skin

    “So, what if you’re skinny or thin? What if you (think) you’re short or too tall? Accepting your authentic self is the biggest step towards knowing and honoring yourself.”

    8 Be 100% okay with being single.

    “Single is no longer a lack of options- but a choice. A choice to refuse to let your life be defined by your relationship status but to live every day Happily and let your Ever After work itself out. And it will. – Mary Hale (said it best).”

    9 Give time to a cause you believe in

    “Politics? Religion? The environment? Education? Animal rights? Whatever it is that gets you worked up, don’t just sit around and complain. Get involved! Start taking positive, forward-thinking action and see what you can do to help the situation. Raise money, do research, volunteer your time, spread the word – it’ll give you an incredible sense of purpose, and plus, people need your help.”

    10. Work out atleast three times a day

    “Not only will staying active and adapting your physical activity improve mental and physical health but it will also cut down on your risk of developing life-threatening illnesses or having a fall that results in injury. It’s no secret that our bodies start to decline naturally as we age. That’s life, unfortunately – but it needn’t be a cue to stop moving. Staying active is beneficial to us all, whatever our age!”

  • Twitter weighs in on the times movies and dramas downgraded from the originals

    Do you feel like sometimes the entertainment industry should maybe stop tearing apart masterpiece films by remaking them over and over again? Once a television show is done and over with, don’t try to re-vamp the hype by drawing up another couple of seasons. Instead maybe try to come up with more original shows?

    This debate began on Twitter when a user shared their distate with the recent season of ‘Khuda Aur Muhabbat’, starring Iqra Aziz and Feroze Khan, saying that Season 1, which had starred Imran Abbas, was much better.

    It led to more Twitter users coming up with their suggestions of shows and movies they feel weren’t necessary at all. Here are some of the replies, and honestly we’re shook.

    This even led to Bollywood fans jumping in to share their opinions about the films that had failed to surpass the original’s.

  • Transgender activist Shehzadi Rai, Twitter users criticise ‘Guru’ for hiring cis man to play intersex character

    Express Entertainment has recently released the teaser trailer of the upcoming drama ‘Guru’ about an intersex character, with the main character to be played by Ali Rehman Khan.

    The announcement has received backlash on social media, with transgender activists like Shehzadi Rai taking to Twitter to criticise how such castings prevent opportunities for members of the khwajasira community to tell their own stories:

    “Cisgender men taking opportunities in acting roles that intended for transgender individuals. It is important to promote diversity and inclusivity in all fields, including acting. Kuch tu chor do.”

    Speaking to The Current on the use of ‘intersex’ to describe the khwajasira community, as well as giving third gender roles to men, Rai said:

    “People who do not want to declare themselves as intersex, why are you pushing the label on them? And roles that are about the third gender, you should give them to people who identify under it. A man’s role would be played by a man, while a woman’s role would be played by a woman.”

    Other Twitter users have slammed the announcement as a disservice to the khwajasira community, by profitting of their stories but refusing to lift up members of the community. One user added:

    “Most Pakistani celebrities will never utter a word in support of the khawajasira community when their rights are being taken away but would be the first ones to accept roles to portray khawajasira characters in dramas. Token inclusion at its finest.”

    Another user compared the response of this casting to the backlash the film ‘Joyland’ had received, for which the transgender actress Alina Khan had been cast, and how the backlash began because an actual person from the marginalized community had stepped forward to tell their own story:

    “This is hypocrisy. When Joyland featured an actual khwajasira person, the entire country is up in arms. But we seem to be totally okay with basing our movies and shows on their lives as long as we’re not actually giving them opportunities in the process.”

    Many also criticised Express Entertainment for representing a marginalised community with someone who does not belong to it.

    “Express tv really think they are making difference by representing marginalised community featuring a cis man in mainstream media & capitalising from it? when u could hire someone from the community because Im sure there are talented trans people who deserve this opportunity.”

  • ‘Jhoom’ has intrigued audiences with a fresh take on enemies-to-lovers story

    The highly anticipated drama ‘Jhoom’ hit television screens across the country last week with Zara Noor Abbas and Haroon Kadwani starring as male leads in the exhilarating ‘enemies to lovers story’ between an older woman and a young man.

    Maryam (played by Abbas) is a doctor who has dedicated her life to her younger brother’s upbringing, adopting a ‘take no crap’ attitude from men while working long shifts at the hospital. While Kadwani essays Arryan, a former car engineer who has anger issues that emerged after his mother left his family.

    The first few episodes have released on media platforms and fans are already in love with the chemistry between Abbas and Kadwani, applauding the makers of the show for choosing to tackle age gap marriages while deciding to make their female lead an older and financially independent woman.

    https://twitter.com/apkokiyubataun/status/1659969693330059265?s=20

    https://twitter.com/HourlySyrup/status/1658088975230291969?s=20

    Something Haute founder Aamna Isani called it ‘intriguing’:

    “Two episodes of Jhoom certainly have intrigued me. It’s fresh. And appears to be thought provoking beyond the obvious. #Jhoom.”

    Here’s to hoping that the drama keeps us captivated with a gorgeous story, and hopefully not go down the ‘Tere Bin’ route?

    Finger’s crossed.

  • Dear ‘Tere Bin’ writer, marital rape is rape

    To Nooran Makhdoom, the writer of the drama ‘Tere Bin’.

    How you chose to write your script is your own business. But to say that a heinous act like marital rape is justified and needed for the script is completely wrong and horrifying, as well as an insight into how the Pakistani entertainment industry keeps alienating women every year.

    This spectacle started on Friday, when the promo for the upcoming episode showed that after accusing Murtasim of cheating on her with Haya, Meerab is raped by her husband as punishment. Social media users were rightfully horrified, which led to a stream of hashtags like ‘Shame on Tere Bin Makers’ and ‘Nooran’, with users beginning to withdraw their support from the once popular drama, and criticising the production team for taking such a heinous step without realising its consequences and impact.

    Instead of listening to your fans and hearing their well-justified complaints about Meerab’s rape, you, Ms. Makhdoom, have instead decided to double down on your stand and defend it. In your statement to Arab News, you said that this is just a drama, and that this had not happened for the first time, so fans should stop complaining about every single episode.

    Now, Ms Makhdoom, we have to point out that you are entirely wrong to dismiss these complaints. Because:

    a. Marital rape is a crime, and many women in Pakistan suffer from it.

    b. Films and dramas are more than just means of entertainment. They are powerful tools to influence audiences.

    Let us break down all of this to you because clearly, you are not aware about the audience you are writing for.

    Marital rape has been declared as a human rights violation by the United Nations High Commissioner For Human Rights in 1993, when they included it in the ‘Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women’. However, in Pakistan where approximately 40% of women have experienced physical or emotional violence in their lifetime, there are no laws that recognise this as an illegal act.

    Already Ms. Makhdoom, you must be aware that the country you are writing dramas for, is one where women are not granted financial independence or any form of security so that if they are suffering from violence, they find some solace and escape. But because of cultural restrictions that prevent women from finding support, as well as a dilapidating justice system that refuses to help survivors, very few women live to see the day when they are able to escape their abusers with ease.

    So to stress on why saying this is ‘just a drama’ is wrong, these kinds of scenes undermine the difficult realities of women in Pakistan. It refuses to acknowledge them as individuals with the right to reject sex from men, whether or not they are married to them. And such actions being normalised by some of the top rated dramas in this country will only further erode the little progress that has improve the rights of women in Pakistan.

    Furthermore, dramas aren’t ‘just dramas’ Ms. Makhdoom, but powerful instruments of change that can influence the masses that are watching them. As a script writer, you do not get to evade the responsibility that comes with being a public figure, because ultimately the public looks up to you and is watching your dramas to learn more about the society around them. Which is why, it speaks volumes about the way our entertainment industry has continued to dig itself further and further into a hole when one of the highest rated dramas of a country which has been declared as the fourth most dangerous country for women, thinks that showing marital rape is okay.

    It’s never okay. And we urge you, Ms. Makhdoom, to stop hiding behind such baseless defences, and actually look down to see the consequences of the narrative you are promoting. Women in Pakistan are in pain. And it is only when public figures like you take responsibility for your actions and stop churning out such debauched dramas for the sake of good ratings, that we can actually progress forward.