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People call out Fahad Mustafa for terming Dunk 'a tribute to victims of false allegations'

People call out Fahad Mustafa for terming Dunk 'a tribute to victims of false allegations'

“I think brands should set an example by working with the people who have been falsely accused of sexual harassment,” says Fahad.
27 Dec, 2020

From cheating spouses and women lusting after their sisters' husbands to greedy villains willing to 'buy' affection and men who mistake stalking as flattery, there is no shortage of problematic content in Pakistani television.

Fahad Mustafa's latest production, Dunk, appears to fall into the same category. Starring renowned actor Noman Ijaz as the protagonist, the teaser shows him as a professor who has been accused of sexual harassment and the toll it takes on his life — personal and professional.

Now, the intent to show that someone accused falsely of any crime — be it rape or murder — has to go through undeserved trauma is justified. But are there more falsely accused individuals than those who have been sexually harassed? No. Is making a TV serial that is tackling the extremely sensitive topic of 'false accusations' a disservice to the struggle of harassment victims? Yes.

In a society where more questions are raised on the character of the person coming forward with a personal story of harassment than the person being accused, do we need to push the narrative of 'she is lying' over 'believe her'?

The Jeeto Pakistan host called the show a "tribute to victims who have been wrongly accused", adding that as a producer, "it is my responsibility to tell every kind of story".

“I think brands should take a stand and set an example by working with the people who have been falsely accused of sexual harassment, to support them and clear their name,” he went on to say.

Again, we wish Fahad had called on brands to disassociate themselves with people accused of wrongdoings instead of asking them to be a part of "clearing their names". Brands have a big responsibility of choosing the right people to endorse their product — should they be approaching people who have been accused of something as serious as sexual harassment? Of course not.

Fahad is so sympathetic to certain celebs losing out on deals because of the accusations; it would do him good to speak to survivors of harassment and learn how they lose out on years, relationships and even jobs because of the trauma they endure.

Also, who exactly is handing out these labels of being falsely accused? Has a court of law? If not, who is Fahad or anyone else to say someone has been 'falsely accused'. Just like you can't call someone a rapist if they are accused of rape — and not convicted — you can't say someone has been falsely accused just because they deny it.

In a society where survivors are mostly dismissed when they come forth with their stories and reporting is already a hurdle on its own, Fahad's attempt at empathy with the 1 per cent did not sit well with the audiences, who were furious and considered this a huge step back in the little progress that was being made in the #MeToo movement in the country.

Some raised questions

While others were out of words

Some gave out advice

While this one absolutely nailed it

Creating greater hurdles to report, they said

Only in Pakistan

Cheap thrills

They have a point

Some highlighted the hypocrisy

While others were just angry

A shame, really

Any producers reading this? Hint, hint

Film and drama are storytelling, yes. But Fahad, an actor and producer who has been around long enough and is part of a society which is failing in protecting its victims, needs to do better. So much better.

Comments

karim Buksh Dec 27, 2020 02:06pm
There are few countries where men are so privileged as in Pakistan. Yet any time they are called out they start acting as if they were the innocent victims. Thats what you call male privilege.
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Umair Dec 27, 2020 02:14pm
I think, Fahad Mustafa has a valid point here. Not every accusation is correct and truthful. We need to see both sides of the picture.
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Browngirl Dec 27, 2020 02:21pm
Either he's got something to hide, or he's genuinely concerned at the plight of his comrades.
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Rayhan Dec 27, 2020 02:37pm
I think all these people criticizing Fahad should at least wait for Dunk to come out. It's absolutely rubbish for people to criticize something, which has become our habit as a society unfortunately, educated or not. Yes, sexual harassments is an issue and it's a global issue; Pakistan is not an exception. Highlighting the other extreme is also important when sexual harassment is used as a tool to destroy lives. This drama will not effect the efforts to protect men and women against sexual harassment. Those who think otherwise have limited thinking and are trouble-makers, We want more social content in dramas and this is one of the issues for discussion. Deal with it!
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Chrís Dăn Dec 27, 2020 03:05pm
Why he could not take up theme of Arzo- a bleeding reality in our civic set up!!!
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Salman Dec 27, 2020 04:20pm
What else do you expect from a guy who made his name making people beg for bikes on Live Television? The drama itself doesn't look bad. Unfortunately I didn't know that it was about false accusation. Opportunity missed.
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Ahmad Gul Nazir Dec 27, 2020 05:01pm
Let the drama be aired first so that people make a mind about this issue. Last year, a teacher having been accused of harressment, ended up committing suicide as girl failed to prove her case and college refused to share the report proving him not guilty.
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Atif Dec 27, 2020 05:57pm
Ptv Ntm produced high quality dramas ruching content and portrayed all stories naturally and tactfully.Awesome dialogues superb characterisation artful direction brilliant production and the talented Actors who delivered them. Where have the social issues and other issues gone. These dramas are nothing but scripted scene plays where story moved from one room to another. The masses are not concerned with these but are made to be portrayed like these are only problems in society. They all seem artificial melodramas and commercial byproducts .Nothing else Yes we have exceptions like ehad e wafa rangreza etc which still have some storyline to tell.
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Sab Se Pehle Pakistan Dec 27, 2020 07:40pm
So called actor Fahad Mustafa should jump on top of a car and insult innocent people in his so called game show. He should leave the thinking to the intellectuals.
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Yes Dec 27, 2020 08:36pm
Pakistani directors, producers need to wash their mentality first! Shame
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Rayhan Dec 27, 2020 11:00pm
@Sab Se Pehle Pakistan, sorry to say but some of these actors are better intellectuals than the so-called "Intellectuals" of our society.
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zulfiqar Dec 27, 2020 11:55pm
I wonder where he got the 95% from? Just another sweeping statement
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AbdulHaque Shaikh Dec 28, 2020 12:31am
Men and women both have to play role in the creation. No body is previewed over other. We all have to play our role in creation. This hoop hola has not improved lot of women, men or child or animal a bit. People who are abuser will remain abuser and should be punished
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Abs Dec 28, 2020 12:37am
Every other day there is a controversial statement from this man, unfortunately fame and money has gone to his head.
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Laila Dec 28, 2020 04:02am
@karim Buksh yes because that catagory of men enjoys the many priveleges and benefits they have institutionalized and rampant patriarchy and misogyny gives them. Naturally they don't want to lose that power but victims feeling they can come forward So best to nip it in the bud and ensure more indoctrination of the already ignorant masses through dramas. Nobody likes to lose their power hold.
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HumanA Dec 28, 2020 10:08am
Islam is against public slandering. If you're a victim, you should go to the police, register a case and let the legal proceedings take their due course. Public slandering is done out of bitterness to get fame and settle personal scores. Why is there not a single case where the accused has a lower socioeconomic status than the accuser.
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Fahim Dec 28, 2020 11:49am
Don't really agree with the article. I know a person who was falsely accused for sexual harassment and later committed suicide.
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Dr. Shireen Dec 28, 2020 04:13pm
@karim Buksh Pakistani woman is more corrupt than man. She misuses her position in the premises of office, educational institutions and personal relationship.. she plays woman card to defend her position.
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Laila Dec 28, 2020 07:54pm
@Fahim then you did not understand the article. False accusations don't happen as much as actually harassment in our society and by highlighting it is shifting focus from the real victims of harassment because they already get doubted and stigmatised by society. False accusations are but an extreme in our society. The exception rather than the rule. Victims are harrassment have nothing to gain from coming forward. Now they will face more doubt. How do you know that perwon who you know committed suicide did not do so out of guilt and remorse rather than out of false accusation?
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Brah Dec 30, 2020 11:11am
Good job fahad . False accusations are a problem and finally someone os giving a voice to innocent people also. We have enough content showing rape victims, one drama showing the other side of the story isn't going to bring qayamat!
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