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Writer Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar’s controversial opinions on women and feminism are well known to everyone on social media, as are the very disparaging comments he made about Mahira Khan in April. He said he would always “curse” himself for the “sin [he] committed by casting her in a very sacred role in my Sadqay Tumhare”. Months later, actor Resham has come to Khan’s defence and called Qamar out for this comments.

Resham appeared on Tabish Hashmi’s Hasna Mana Hai on Sunday with Waseem Abbas. While doing a Q&A session with the live audience, someone asked the actors about their opinion on Qamar. While Abbas lauded his skills as a writer and the plays he had written, Resham acknowledged his achievements but pointed out the offensive remark he passed about Khan for simply tweeting about him getting one project after another despite abusing a woman on live TV.

“Limited to his work, I agree, there are only few people who write so well. There are only few who can pen dialogues of that level, like one or two, there’s no doubt. I pray that Allah gives him more respect but when I read on social media that he is after artists like Mahira Khan and says that he doesn’t want to give her a ‘chance’ — but you never gave that [in the first place].”

She gave an example about Abbas and how she started out in the industry with one thing in mind that “respect is the first of many examples of love” and never talked in a different tone with fellow artists.

“I’ve been seeing it for the past two years that he is after Mahira Khan and claims that he gave her Sadqay Tumhare. How did you give her that drama? That was given by the channel and the producer. You’re a writer and you wrote a great script and submitted it as a part of your job. Sometimes he attaches his name with a big artist for claim to fame and that too with whom? A woman,” said Resham.

The writer, who is active on social media and very vocal about his opinions, has not yet acknowledged Resham’s comment.

Approximately four months ago Khan had taken to Instagram and dedicated a post for her drama serial alongside Adnan Malik.

Qamar in response took to Twitter and had written, “I’ll always curse on me for the sin I committed by casting her in a very sacred role in my Sadqay Tumhare.”

A day after his tweet went viral for all the wrong reasons, Qamar then clarified that the reason why he went after Khan was her tweet that called him out for his behaviour on live television.

In the tweet Qamar had written that Khan had tweeted a day after the Marvi Sirmed incident and how he respect Khan before her tweet but her “language and cheapness” would never be forgotten.

Sadqay Tumhare showed two cousins, Shanno (Khan) and Khalil (Malik), who fall in love but their parents’ turbulent past casts a long, dark shadow over their relationship that can never be shaken off. The drama took a look at how an older generation’s mistakes have long lasting consequences for their offspring, altering everyone’s destiny in the process.

Qamar is also known for writing Punjab Nahi Jaungi, Kaaf Kangana, London Nahi Jaunga, Pyarey Afzal and Meray Paas Tum Ho.