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Actor Usman Mukhtar denies harassment allegations by artist Mehrooz Waseem

Actor Usman Mukhtar denies harassment allegations by artist Mehrooz Waseem

Waseem has accused him of groping her in 2017; Mukhtar says will file lawsuit.
29 Jul, 2021

Actor and filmmaker Usman Mukhtar has denied allegations of harassment levelled against him by Mehrooz Waseem, a female artist and musician based in Islamabad, and has said he will be taking the legal route by filing a lawsuit against her.

Waseem, who publicly identified herself on Instagram, has accused Mukhtar of groping her at a party in 2017 — a claim he has denied to Images — and harassing her in the workplace when they worked on a music video together in 2016. She described him as "extremely unprofessional, difficult and arrogant".

"The reason I did not use the 'proper route' which him and his friends who have threatened me and violated my rights during the shoot of the music video is because he does not sign any agreements and neither of how he violated my bodily sovereignty for a few seconds at a public gathering when no one was looking, because we do not go everywhere with cameras attached to our bodies," she said in a statement posted on her Instagram.

According to her statement, she first made public her allegations in January 2020.

Waseem said this statement was given to the FIA as part of the case filed against her by Mukhtar; however, the actor has rebutted this claim and says a different statement was provided to the agency.

Images has reached out to the FIA to verify the content of the statement.

The case was highlighted on social media when Mukhtar posted about it on Instagram.

Without naming the artist, he said he has been harassed, blackmailed and bullied online for the past year and a half by her. He told Images that he did not name Waseem because he did not want her to be subjected to cyber bullying.

Apologising for the timing of his post — as the country rallies behind women speaking up against abusers and harassers — he said his intention is to stop people from exploiting the situation for their own "false and unfounded gains".

Mukhtar told Images that the FIA was initially unable to locate Waseem and then summoned her multiple times before she gave her statement.

In a followup post on Instagram, he asked his followers and supporters to stop sending Waseem "abusive and offensive" messages. He also called on "abusers" to stop using his posts.

"If you’re an abuser, please don’t use my story in any way whatsoever, I’m done with abusers in my life and will not abide by this."

He told Images that the lawsuit is a last resort. "I didn't want to do this because it's just so much money involved [for both parties]. I really just wanted to end it, but there is no other choice," he said.

Comments

Mahmood Jul 29, 2021 04:26pm
That's the easiest weapon women have against men. Just accuse anyone of ''Sexual harassment'' and destroy his reputation, career and family in no time. No matter how diabolical or fabricated. The man is therefore left to prove his innocence - instead of the accuser proving her allegation! Many a high-profile politicians, celebrities, academics, businessmen, professionals, government officials, public figures and even religious figures have been ruined to no avail - purely on someone's allegation.
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Fastrack Jul 29, 2021 04:26pm
The feminists are utterly confused. He was one of them after all.
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whatever Jul 29, 2021 04:27pm
So we are supposed to believe everything she says.
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Fastrack Jul 29, 2021 04:28pm
All men, right? Great turf war between feminists on Twitter. "He's us" vs "He's them".
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LAHORI KID Jul 29, 2021 04:34pm
All that happened in 2016-17, and you just woke up and realized you were groped at a party in 2017 ?
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Badtameez Kudi Jul 29, 2021 04:35pm
They could end all of this now (like today) by signing a Sulah Nama at a local police station (very common practice in day-to-day disputes). Or, they could go down the Misha-Ali route and milk it to the last drop, for publicity.
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Jo Jul 29, 2021 05:04pm
We need to remain professional in our dealings with others. It's not ok to touch, molest or harass any person.
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Kaleem Jul 29, 2021 05:06pm
Professional differences between a man and a woman shouldn't be made a harassment each time. Behave maturely and move on.
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Fastrack Jul 29, 2021 05:06pm
"A feminist is being harassed by a woman". Aurat March is dead.
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ABE Jul 29, 2021 05:09pm
He said, she said, nothing else! But the truth may be somewhere in between! Everyone has a mouth and free to say whatever - no matter how far-fetched, offensive or unbelievable!
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ST Jul 29, 2021 06:05pm
This me too movement is destroying so many
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#YesAllMen Jul 29, 2021 06:13pm
I usually side with women, but here Mr. Mukhtar seems legit. It could also be an issue with her not getting paid in full for her work on the music video, so she might have resorted to this.
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Nk Jul 29, 2021 06:14pm
Are we trying to copy Hollywood?
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Laila Jul 29, 2021 06:25pm
People, who think sexual harrassment or rape accusation is the easiest weapon Pakistani women have against men, are deluded and clearly ignorant of reality. The is not West/Americas/Europe where victims 1) don't suffer social stigma 2) don't face ostracism/are killed by family for dishonoring themselves by "getting harrassed/raped" and go public with it 3) can expect a fair trial without corrupt courts or character assassination 4) where convicted abusers do face jailtime and possibly have to pay some sort of compensation, if its big cases like Weinstein, Cosby, Epstein. This is Pakistan. No matter your social class, as a woman you stand to gain absolutely nothing. Certainly not a conviction or monetary compensation. You stand to lose everything incl your reputation and perceived honor. Society views you as tainted/damaged goods. Nobody wants to marry an "impure" girl. If married, its divorce. So it is the hardest thing for a Pakistani female to go public with such trauma.
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Laila Jul 29, 2021 06:39pm
@whatever you don't have to believe. She out this out. While she may stand weak in terms of proving her case especially as it is he said, she said and its 4 years old. Never the less, she raised awareness and other girls in showbiz may become alert and be saved because she chose to come forward. You can chose to believe or disbelieve her. Thats your prerogative.
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AW Jul 29, 2021 06:51pm
Anyone with average intelligence can read her post on Instagram and conclude that it is fiction and not the truth. Some women use their femininity to settle scores
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Khan Jul 29, 2021 06:53pm
Looks drama of hers to relevant!
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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Jul 29, 2021 07:00pm
What else can he say at this crucial, caviling, critical, carping and compelling point in time and history?
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usman Jul 29, 2021 07:16pm
I hope she is right. I can see the clear difference of followers in her and the Usman into account. Why publish on intsa instead of doing a press conference?
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ABE Jul 29, 2021 07:27pm
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Oh Dear! Dr. This is an incident between two individuals. Not a Global event of the proportion of WWII or a clash between Super-powers to effect 'history'' of the world or mankind!
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Amber Jul 29, 2021 07:32pm
@#YesAllMen she paid him ..he didn't pay her.
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DK Jul 29, 2021 07:40pm
She is a feminist and she is manipulating him blaming him for all that happened to him.
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DK Jul 29, 2021 07:41pm
India is behind these feminists movements.
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Malik Jul 29, 2021 07:45pm
Who is she? No one knew her so they thought its best to come up with a controversy that sells i.e. harassment. Way to go Usman and his client.. this is all probably just drama..
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Gur chawala Jul 29, 2021 08:32pm
If more victims come forward it will give credence to her claims.
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Thark Jul 29, 2021 09:06pm
Seeing your picture in dp i think every one can easily get crazy.
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SadFan Jul 29, 2021 09:58pm
It just seems that they had a bad experience working with each other that the hate between them never went away. I can't say what happened in the party, but it is confirmed she was not ready to see him and meet him in the party. Only the friends can confirm her case. One thing is certain, I wouldn't want to work with either of them.
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Truth be told Jul 29, 2021 11:06pm
@ABE he is a PhD doctor.
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N_Saq Jul 29, 2021 11:58pm
Another case of he said and she said. Courts will throw out these cases until there is a solid proof.
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Jas Jul 30, 2021 12:24am
As with every other case, due process must be followed. 'Me Too' movement might have empowered some women, but it has also allowed some to use it to demonize and malign men for ulterior motives.
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Mehar sapient Jul 30, 2021 02:17am
There is no such thing as Rape and harassment is a social construct like patriarchy
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HumanA Jul 30, 2021 02:39am
Here we go again. Cheap fame.
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Ibrahim S Jul 30, 2021 06:47am
@Mahmood - it’s nothing new . Let’s wait when more women will come forward accusing him of misappropriation . STOP living in denial
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Ibrahim S Jul 30, 2021 06:49am
@LAHORI KID - please ask women in your house what happens to them when they out for shopping in crowded shopping centre. It might open your eyes
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Ibrahim S Jul 30, 2021 06:49am
@Nk - don’t we copy everything?
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FS Jul 30, 2021 10:40am
It seems this woman is at fault.
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Falcon1 Jul 30, 2021 12:39pm
@Ibrahim S. Yes, let's condemn the man already without any evidence or eye witnesses, drag him into the streets and deprive him of his home and livelihood based on one allegation! What if no one else comes forward with the same accusation?? Will you then apologize to him or condemn the woman who falsely accused him - if her accusations are not proven in a court of law??
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yoyo Jul 30, 2021 02:38pm
thanks for letting us know in jus a few years and not 30 yrs later . groupie
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Sabah Shahid Jul 30, 2021 04:54pm
A lot of those people who are siding with Usman Mukhtar don't even know him personally or can vouch for his character but still choose to believe him because he's a man and their misogynistic brains can't accept the fact that sexual harassment of women exists . These are the same people who turn a blind eye to rape and sexual abuse and the reason why Pakistan appears in the list of most dangerous countries for women.
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Mahmood Jul 30, 2021 08:20pm
@Sabah Shahid And you, as a woman, naturally believe everything that has been alleged?? Have you seen any evidence or have eye-witnesses come forward?? Rape and sexual harrassment exists in almost every society - Pakistan is not unique. But allegations have to be proven beyond a shadow of a doubt to convict the man. Her it is all ''her word against his so far". Do you know the woman personally and can vouch for her character? Or perhaps, you are the accuser in this episode, posting under an assumed fake name to convince everyone to believe your story?? Hmm.... I think you ARE!
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nk Jul 31, 2021 12:16pm
The recording released by the victim does not carry any threat or blackmailing by the Mr. Mukhtar. He is talking in English but it looks it is a forced Pakistani English anyway. Why on earth you choose a language to speak on which you lack command.
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