This time it was Frieha Altaf who spoke up on the matter with many celebrities signing out of the Lux Style Awards, she posted her concerns on her Instagram saying:
The #MeinBhi movement is not a one off. The struggle to ensure a safer workplace will be a lifetime effort. My #lsa turf is the LSA show and the stage-not the nominations that are done by independent juries. No one has a say in what the jury decides.
But I can state very clearly that if I do #lsa2019 it will reflect all the values that I uphold. I had every intention of including the song #mein in the show flow and was in discussion with @Meesha Shafi before she was EVEN nominated and then stepped out.
Even today the entire show flow will reflect and uphold all the #meinbhi values. In my opinion, if anybody should step down, it is the alleged harasser, not those who are innocent and oppose him. The LSA platform and event is very close to my heart and I will continue to fight, on my turf, for women’s rights and empowerment.
Last year, the socialite kick started the campaign #MeinBhi, in solidarity with sexual harassment victims.
Frieha also added: “I had seen and read enough to know that I had to take stock and not allow myself to continuously be abused. I’ve gone through it all. I’ve been through marriages, I’ve been abandoned, I’ve been stood up at my wedding and I’ve been cheated on but I got the courage to fix it and get out of it.”
With so many prominent people stepping down from the award function, it makes us wonder if stepping down will bring any solution to the matter?
The matter has left a lot of people confused. Even after the case was taken to court by Ali Zafar, it still remains unresolved as Meesha Shafi was absent for all the court hearings. So why avenge the Lux Style Awards- which is the most prominent award show in Pakistan?
There have been many mixed comments on Frieha’s post:
syra244
Wat the hell is dis ….everyone is accusing alizafar without any proof..madam Meesha Shafi didn’t even appear for the court hearing let alone presenting any proof. Meesha Shafi a strong successful confident woman was harassed n she kept quiet..y didn’t she stop him then n there..later on she realized “oh i will accuse him on social.media” how silly is this story.
@amna_alam my point is, why are we getting sympathies for Meesha, when we don’t have any solid proof that alizafar is actually guilty! Why playing woman card here?
janjua.waleed
Why an ‘alleged’ harasser should step down. Anyone can accuse anyone. As they say, innocent until proven guilty.
ehtesham.ali
Meesha is not a proven accused yet! Let’s not blame Ali Zafar too early.
fariiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii_khan
Don’t forget you guys are reacting to accusations that are yet to be proven also these matters need to be discussed in the court not on social media!!
idaneez
Message for all, never step out, stand tall and look into their eyes, stay strong and stay in the spotlight.
We have seen different reactions from people under Meesha Shafi and Ali Zafar’s posts on social media, some staunch and some rather confused-as people refrain to punish a man who is not convicted by the courts as yet.
On the other hand there are those who believe that an alleged harasser should not be treated with honor even if he hasn’t been proven guilty as yet. This topic has certainly become the talk of the town. Freiha Altaf’s statement clearly means that she expects Ali Zafar to step down from the LSA nominations. Do you think that is a fair solution to the matter?