It’s become common to harass women’

Sajal Ali, Mahira Khan, others decry rising tide of harassment

In a powerful display of solidarity, some of Pakistan’s most prominent actors have taken to social media to voice their outrage over the escalating incidents of harassment against women in the country. Sajal Ali, Mahira Khan, Mariyam Nafees, Zara Noor Abbas, and Faiza Saleem have joined forces to demand justice and societal change in the face of what they describe as alarmingly continuous and high rates of harassment.

The catalyst for this united front appears to be a disturbing video circulating on social media platforms. The footage shows a man on a motorcycle, with a child passenger presumed to be his son, brazenly groping a woman wearing an abaya and niqab as he rides past her. This incident has ignited a firestorm of condemnation from the entertainment industry and beyond.

‘Razia’ speaks up

Mahira Khan, one of Pakistan’s most recognisable faces both at home and internationally, took a particularly poignant approach to addressing the issue. The actor shared a scene from her hit Express Entertainment miniseries Razia on Instagram, accompanied by the sardonic caption, “With apologies to dogs.” The powerful scene features Khan’s character, Razia, delivering a scathing monologue that cuts to the heart of Pakistan’s harassment crisis.

In the clip, Razia stands veiled in black, her dress adorned with labels such as “mamoo” (maternal uncle), “gandi nazar” (lustful gaze), and “tharak” (debauchery). As she lifts her veil, she launches into a biting critique of societal attitudes: “We tried covering up the meat, but the dogs couldn’t stop smelling it. Following the meat’s scent, they ended up at our houses. Because the problem isn’t meat, it’s greed.”

Khan’s character goes on to challenge the dehumanisation of women, stating, “Turning us women into meat, you’re willing to be called dogs? How incredible! God had made you human, the noblest of all creations with a grasp of good and bad. But even then, if you really want to be a dog, so be it. But stop attacking us like meat.”

The scene concludes with a searing indictment of Pakistan’s national motto: “Unity, faith and discipline. This nation has truly committed to this adage in one area: tharak (debauchery).”

Razia, which marked Khan’s return to television last year, has been praised for its nuanced portrayal of patriarchy’s enduring influence on women’s lives in Pakistan. The series, directed by Mohsin, has garnered critical acclaim for its blend of wit and poignancy, with Khan’s performance and Shaheera Jalil’s debut receiving particular praise.

A worrisome picture

Other actors have been equally vocal in their condemnation of the motorcycle incident. Mariyam Nafees took aim at victim-blaming culture, writing on Instagram, “And that, ladies and gentlemen, is a fully covered woman!” Her comment directly challenges the oft-repeated notion that a woman’s clothing choices are to blame for harassment.

Zara Noor Abbas, who recently became a mother, highlighted the generational impact of such behaviour. “Raising another generation of harassers while they are on the bike. Children are puppets. They do what they see. And this man is leading by example here for the child,” she wrote, before adding a controversial statement: “I wish. I wish I was allowed to murder.”

Faiza Saleem called for public shaming of harassers, stating, “Their faces should be plastered all over the internet and everywhere else too. This is the harsh reality of millions of women in Pakistan, India and other parts of the world where any sense of shame is only associated with women, not men.”

Perhaps the most despairing sentiment came from Sajal Ali, who expressed a loss of faith in her country’s future. “It’s awful to see how common it’s become for men to harass women and children. I can’t help but feel hopeless about where we’re headed,” she wrote.

The united front presented by these influential figures underscores the severity of the harassment issue in Pakistan. Their willingness to speak out, particularly through the medium of art as exemplified by Razia, represents a significant pushback against entrenched societal norms that have long silenced victims.

However, the actors’ impassioned pleas also highlight the frustration felt by many women in Pakistan who see little concrete action being taken to address the root causes of harassment. The incident involving the motorcyclist, occurring in broad daylight and in full view of a child, serves as a stark reminder of how normalised such behaviour has become.