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Footballer Hajra Khan was 'terrified' at the HSAs because the host was an alleged sexual harasser

Footballer Hajra Khan was 'terrified' at the HSAs because the host was an alleged sexual harasser

Many women have taken issue with Ali Zafar being invited to host the Hum Style Awards.
Updated 08 Jul, 2021

This year's Hum Style Awards came under scrutiny for far more than its fashion — many people weren't on board with the idea of having Ali Zafar hosting the show given that he is currently embroiled in a legal battle over his alleged sexual harassment of Meesha Shafi. Footballer Hajra Khan says his presence made her feel unsafe.

She spoke to Arab News about her experience attending the show and said she felt "terrified" because there were too many people there.

"But I feel good that public events are opening up and we can finally go out," she said, expressing her hope that Pakistanis were following SOPs and being responsible during the Covid pandemic. She added that this was her second nomination and she was "looking most forward to feeling good" without the pressure of winning. "That was my goal tonight," she said.

However, referring to the video later on her social media, the football champ revealed why she said she was terrified at the show.

"Why was I terrified? Because not only was there an alleged sexual harasser at the vicinity, but he was also hosting the show!" she exclaimed, referring to Zafar.

She wasn't the only one who didn't approve of the host — Meesha Shafi took to Twitter to slam the awards and management for enabling alleged harassers and giving them space and fans were furious on Twitter too.

With a great platform comes an even greater responsibility and the Hum Style Awards needs to acknowledge that. Khan might have been the only guest so far to say this but there were definitely more people like her at the show.

Comments

Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Jul 08, 2021 01:22pm
What a grave, gruesome, grisly, grim, gross and great tragedy?
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M. Saeed Jul 08, 2021 01:24pm
But, there are ladies in such gatherings of them gentlemen and terrified of.
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asif Jul 08, 2021 01:30pm
Absouletly rubbish
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tQ Jul 08, 2021 01:31pm
Basically, a money making event & surely controversy increases the number of eyeballs. I feel sorry for Hajra Khan as she is expecting too much from these overnight billionaires , channel owners. Ethics and morals are not their cup of tea.
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funnyman Jul 08, 2021 01:33pm
If you were so "terrified" why did you come at all? Was the Host announced after your arrival? If you support Meesha so much why did you not boycott the awards as protest? This is not a sports event, if you had any issue you could have simply declined the invitation to go. If anyone forced you to go,say under a contract, you could have gone to social media like now and told the world who was forcing you. You could have sent a formal legal notice to the contract holder saying no. You could have have went to ombudsman to say the contract forced you in proximity of a "alleged sexual harasser" without any kind of safety protocol. You could have invoked Force Majure of the contract on grounds of threat to personal safety. A million ways to do it, but you chose to try to raise personal relevance by riding the #MeToo wave and harming the legitimate movement by attaching your personal brand promotion to the movement which was meant to protect abused from abusers
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Kamran Jul 08, 2021 01:33pm
Shame on all of you .it is not proven that he did this and the lady was more suspecious in the case .now I will ask all these that if there father brother or husband nominated in In such fake case,you will react this way .the fall of society this ti.e in the name me too
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Fastrack Jul 08, 2021 02:13pm
Innocent until proven guilty?
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ST Jul 08, 2021 02:21pm
@Hajra' what a drama queen
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Dr Mansoor Jul 08, 2021 02:30pm
Nothing has been proved against Ali Zafar despite years of court hearings...This is just further publicity stunt by this so called footballer to get some attention
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AZAM AKBAR Jul 08, 2021 02:31pm
Has it been proved that he is a sexual harasser?
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Thinking Jul 08, 2021 02:32pm
@funnyman you mean if a rapist is wandering on the road, don't go outside, rather than putting the rapist behind bars
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Ali Asgher Jul 08, 2021 02:36pm
I guess everyone has an opinion but publicly defaming someone is not right. Islam teaches us to not say any negative thing about anyone even if it is a fact. Using social media to attack is not OK. Guilty or not guilty.
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Ahmad Jul 08, 2021 02:42pm
no i think you r saying this incorrectly ... the person who accused him is only ONE if he was harrasser then you might have seen so many like #metoo appear allegations are leveled by one lady who is all over the place with respect to her career and that explains her allegations plus Ali is a hit all over the world... looks like you are in misha's gang :)
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Nadia Jul 08, 2021 02:52pm
The one with a bad reputation has a worst fate than the one who is actually bad. A married successful intelligent man, who loves his wife to bits, has a beautiful house and beautiful children, . Liberal yet religious, just doesn’t add up you know. ..seems highly unlikely he would jeopardise his life by making “unwanted” advances toward anyone. Even so 90% chance his wife would have walked if they were true. I don’t believe it at all.
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Nadia Jul 08, 2021 03:13pm
Second I doubt the ladies were terrified at all, strapless shoulderless, siting atop strange terrified looking male dancers, whilst wearing tight fitting clothes ! Believe me many in Pakistan would be terrified seeing these. The poor PM who kindly advocated modest dressing would be extremely distressed too seeing this level of fear in the females, they could have fooled me !
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funnyman Jul 08, 2021 03:17pm
@Thinking Rapists deserve to be put behind bars pending investigation. All you drama queens care about is blood. no one accused anyone here of rape but clearly that is lost on you. Ali Zafar, who was never even accused to be a rapist but a harrasser was investigated and nothing credible was found. Its been years but Ms. Meesha the complainant and ALLEGED victim has yet to provide any evidence. Even 1 of her "Witnesses" has testified against her But please keep mixing and matching your own hate & projecting it onto Ali Zafar and keep calling him rapist when no such crime was even alleged by anyone including Ms. Meesha. Next time be sure to call murderer anyone who eats your lunch since apparently there too is no distinction between various actions
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Zak Jul 08, 2021 03:33pm
Illegal bihari Khan was terrified?
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truth Jul 08, 2021 03:38pm
@Dr Mansoor will anything be proved? forever innocent then
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SMD Jul 08, 2021 03:44pm
The court exonerated him , clean and tidy. Her accuser ( Mother teresa wanna be ) is on the loose ever since. She has to pay the court ordered fine yet. Enough with this vilification
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ENGR Hamid shafiq Jul 08, 2021 03:59pm
cheap publicity interview
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Tariq Jul 08, 2021 04:02pm
I think what she really doing is making sides and case of her personal like or dislike. We had people around the world in every field who are working and facing similar charges until proven guilty. A woman of that stature talking childish i must say.
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ali Jul 08, 2021 04:18pm
Then why did you go there in first place?
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Amir Shah Jul 08, 2021 04:23pm
I understand the concern but please be aware Ali Zafar has never been proven guilty, so you can’t accuse him. However, Miss Khan showing your midriff is not an acceptable dress for Muslim women, so please stop accusing others until you get your own house in order. Freedom to wear what ever you want is fine but it is still not very Islamic and it’s definitely not being very modern.
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Pathetic Jul 08, 2021 04:24pm
You need schooling Girl! Such a pathetic mindset you got. Absolutely absurd. Wish you had a brain, than an award.
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Ali Mehdi Jul 08, 2021 04:28pm
Hajra you run at your highest speed right between crowds of men n women n children n whatnot. You fight your way with so many players. You don’t loose your focus. You prove that you have what it takes to be a good soccer player. But a host which is so far from you n who hasn’t been proven guilty so far is causing you fright. Even if you were unaware that ali would be hosting the show when then you kept on enjoying the show till the very end. Should have left right away for your own happiness
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Yawar Jul 08, 2021 04:35pm
These ladies are paid to disgrace Pakistan
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John Jul 08, 2021 04:59pm
This all situation proves PM IK absolutely verified. One seduce others, lust will provoke and thy will be viewed inside through.Sighting sexual intentions in opposite gender is the outcome of all the"mera gism meri marzi" slogan,now the public is worried of being viewed sedition in opposite parteners.
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Irfan Huq Jul 08, 2021 06:18pm
Whatever I know what happened may not amount to the definition of sexual harassment. In sexual harassment the harasser is in an advantage position which makes the person awkward and difficult to continue either at work or in the situation. What Zafar may have done Try to seduce or tease her which is something which is something the Pakistani dramas show all the time, and people love that
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Mujahid Jul 08, 2021 06:26pm
The lady is overreacting. He has just been alleged and never proven after full court fight. Plus the harassment alleged was something very subtle. She is giving a feeler as if she had to stand on stage with some convicted serial rapist. If Meesha Shafi can't prove her allegations, Ali can't be forever condemned Harrasser, Guilty as charged without any proof
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AH Jul 08, 2021 07:47pm
@Nadia It's about time these degenerates were kicked out of Pakistan. They always complaining how bad it is. Leave if you don't like it.
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Hussain Jul 08, 2021 07:47pm
It remains an unproven allegation so there's nothing wrong with him being there.
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Javed Khan Jul 08, 2021 07:51pm
Who is interested in a two bit footballer opinion.
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AH Jul 08, 2021 08:01pm
@funnyman All these people are funded to mislead the youth. All they want to do is promote a degenerate lifestyle. Next they will be promoting LGBT.
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Texas Ranger Jul 08, 2021 08:15pm
@M. Saeed Respect for the comment dude !
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Zak Jul 08, 2021 08:23pm
Why wash dirty laundry abroad. From what everyone knows, courts absolved Ali zafar and rejected Meesha claims.
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Fakhir Jul 08, 2021 08:55pm
Cheap publicity
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AH Jul 08, 2021 09:01pm
@Yawar That's why they should be kicked out
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Hasaan Jul 08, 2021 09:25pm
Alleged is not equal to conviction. Even Meesha Shafi case gone so long
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Queen Jul 08, 2021 10:43pm
Ever heard the term innocent until proven guilty
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Irfan Huq Jul 08, 2021 11:11pm
@AH Unfortunately it is not easy but if opportunity comes most of the people will leave and and go out.
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Ali Jul 09, 2021 12:45am
What an attention seeker You are Hajra , get a life Girl .
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IFTIKHAR Jul 09, 2021 05:57am
We find illitercy inso called Educated class. A man can not termed harasser by any women unless she has proven her case. The me too is misused often
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RocknRolla Jul 09, 2021 06:50am
Who is She? Oh yeah the gal who pointed at ALI ZAFAR.. Yeah.. Famous..
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Akil Akhtar Jul 09, 2021 07:30am
Just trying to be relevant...Misha Shafi has lost the case hasn't she....
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AJ Jul 09, 2021 08:22am
He should not have been hosting the awards. I turn off everything when I hear any mention of him.
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nks Jul 09, 2021 10:14am
stop bullying ali zafar please .
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AZAM AKBAR Jul 09, 2021 02:16pm
@Zak Mr. Zak, " Illegal bihari Khan was terrified? " What do you mean by this?
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Kiwi Jul 09, 2021 06:30pm
Court will decide. No one is guilty until proven.
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Lily Jul 09, 2021 06:37pm
Ali Zafar is not a desperate nut case to be touchy feely with meesha, his wife is way more classy than her any day. That said; I do wonder why ultra modern women from such circles where hugging, kissing strange men is a norm, suddenly go all mashriqi and ba parda when they're "bribed" to go against a famous guy? Our generation knows about meesha's past and relationships quite well, so you know? Hypocrite much.
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Rfam Jul 09, 2021 07:11pm
Without getting into whether Ali Zafar is guilty or not and whether he should have hosted the show or not, could this lady please explain what exactly she was ‘terrified’ of? Was she worried about the possibility that AZ would jump off the stage and attack her ? So absurd!
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Sabah Shahid Jul 09, 2021 07:55pm
Sexual harassment is very difficult to prove in court and considering how corrupt our judicial system is it's entirely possible that Ali Zafar who is a more popular and influential celebrity than Meesha could have used his contacts to win the case. Why is everyone defending Ali Zafar as if they know him in person? It's simply because our misogynistic society will always believe the word of a man over that of a woman.
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AMBER GUL RASHID Jul 10, 2021 08:49am
@IFTIKHAR She called him an "alleged" harasser, which he is.
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Jazz Jul 10, 2021 07:25pm
I guess 'innocent until proven guilty' and 'due process' are not applicable when convenient? Would like to know why Meesha doesn't appear in the court proceedings and why no one has appeared in the court to corroborate her claims. Why is so much leeway given to her?
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Aag Jul 10, 2021 08:57pm
If she was terrified, why did she come to the event knowing who the host is? Maybe, this statement was to get in the limelight.
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Syed Khan Jul 12, 2021 11:27am
First of all, these revealing dresses (both on Men and Women) do not belong here.....Become free and reject slavery.....
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