One of Pakistani’s most celebrated artists, Ayeza khan, had uploaded a video clip from her recent drama Lapata, in which she is shown as a tik tok girl named Geeti.
In the video, Ayeza Khan also known as Geeti portrays how influential social media is. She is seen bargaining with a shopkeeper who she then traps by threatening him with the power of social media.
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However, with the sensitivity of the ongoing peak cases of harassment and rapes cases in the country the popular actress has received criticism as she chose to portray someone who validates false accusations of harassment for the sake of their own benefit.
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Our neitizens including public figures have also come out against using the power of social media to falsely accuse someone of harassment for one’s own sake.
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Shame on her, writer and producer. How many women have falsely accused men of harassment? Given the sensitivity of the matter and the fact that already victims avoid telling their stories, it is extremely disturbing to see this BS. pic.twitter.com/f8R2Zfg71q
— Sana (@MMCS3H) July 30, 2021
Shame on Hum Tv for trivializing harrassment in its drama "Lapata", that too during the ongoing femicide in the country. How can Ayeza Khan be even comfortable doing such problematic roles.
— Hunza (@_hunzamalghanii) July 30, 2021
Ayeza Khan, being such a senior artist in industry still appearing in a drama 'Lapata' where she is shown false accusing a Shopkeeper of harassment when she didn't had money to pay and he was asking for that. Disappointingly naming that as 'Social media Power'! Learn please!
— Moeez Abid (@BeMoeez) July 29, 2021
The first episode of Laapata which aired on Wednesday, in which Her character is shown falsely accusing a man of harassment using her social media influence.
However, during a sensitive time when the nation is collectively fighting for justice and its women are beaten every day, this scene merely adds humour. The only funny part in the episode is the discussion regarding punishment for harassment of women in Pakistan.
This is a prime example of how the word “Harassment” is misused. Such useless allegations tend to overshadow the real meaning of Harassment and the cases attached to it.
In a country where women already struggle to overcome barriers about harassment let alone rape, drama serials like that in Laapata contradict their struggle.
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Actor Fahad Mustafa in a recent interview said that “95% cases of sexual harassment are genuine but in some cases, people are falsely accused, so we have to tell every kind of story.”
The actor was giving an insight in his latest show Dunk, which revolves around false accusations of sexual harassment.
The television series also stars Bilal Abbas Khan, Sana Javed and Naumaan Ejaz.