WEB DESK: Actress Nadia Jamil has revealed she faced harassment within the country’s showbiz industry during an interview on Iffat Omar’s popular talk show, “Say It All With Iffat Omar.” Nadia disclosed that a prominent director had harassed her, but she chose not to reveal his identity due to concerns about her young sons’ readiness to handle the fallout.
Nadia Jamil explained her cautious approach to avoiding potentially unsafe situations, mentioning she declined an offer from actor Nauman Ijaz to collaborate on a project after learning the same director, who had harassed her, would be involved. She expressed belief that other women might have faced similar harassment and are waiting for the right moment to speak out.
Addressing the challenges of navigating such situations, particularly in an industry where speaking out can lead to legal threats and backlash, Nadia noted the impact on her personal and professional life. Despite the difficulties, she remains committed to eventually revealing the director’s name.
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Nadia Jamil’s revelations have sparked discussions online about accountability and safety within the Pakistani entertainment sector.
In a related case, in April 2018, Meesha Shafi accused Ali Zafar of sexual harassment on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), leading to a legal dispute. Zafar denied the allegations and filed a Rs1 billion defamation suit against Shafi, claiming severe damage to his reputation and livelihood. The court issued a stay preventing Shafi from making further claims against Zafar. Despite her efforts to settle the matter privately and appeal the decision, the Lahore High Court dismissed her case in October 2019.
Zafar, while claiming to support the #MeToo movement, argued it was misused against him and accused Shafi’s lawyer, Nighat Dad, of orchestrating a conspiracy. He also lodged complaints with the Federal Investigation Agency, alleging a smear campaign through fake social media accounts.
