Actress and host Iffat Omar spoke out against the Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar controversy in a recent interview.
Omar responded to Qamar’s inflammatory comments where he said that women commit retaliatory rape and that a woman without modesty is not defined as a woman.
Omar is best known for her role as Aapa Ji in Mohabbat Aag She currently hosts the talk show Say It All With Iffat Omar.
In a recent interview with EPK, Omar said she disagreed with his beliefs and “listening to him was a punishment!”
“Whatever happens, you cannot joke about the sensitive issues of rape.”
She said she was shocked that “someone with such a mentality can write so well.”
Omar said she was also disappointed with his open bashing of senior industry members. Commenting on Qamar’s latest flick Kaaf Kangana, she said he wasted ISPR and taxpayer’s money on the film since it was “utterly a waste”. She added that ISPR should temporarily ban Qamar.
The controversy
Qamar is a popular screenwriter who is behind the new hit Meray Pass Tum Ho, a drama where a wife leaves her husband for someone richer.
Explaining his inspiration behind the script, he stated that a man does not have the ability to say no but a woman does. He added that the woman’s ability to stay loyal in a relationship defines her as a good woman. He said that he is the “biggest feminist in Pakistan” who fights for the good woman.
The ”feminist” comments during his October EPK interview sparked outrage on social media.
Iffat has previously spoken out against him in a tweet when the controversy erupted, calling out for a public apology from Qamar.
#khalilurRehmanQamar #IDemandPublicApology This man is beyond https://t.co/PN8uNuvWr1 dare he keeps on insulting women like this.He should publicly and apologise. https://t.co/GxpYV4yhmu
— Iffat Omar Official (@OmarIffat) October 31, 2019
Other Pakistani celebrities joined her in calling out Qamar on social media, roasting him for his ignorant comments.
Seriously, though, what fresh hell is this.https://t.co/FzbYNqwJDv
— Osman Khalid Butt 🇵🇸 (@aClockworkObi) October 31, 2019
https://twitter.com/ArmeenaRK/status/1189912092691877889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1189912092691877889&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.dawn.com%2Fnews%2F1183942
#khalilurrehmanqamar #bewafa #arydigital pic.twitter.com/QzzeJCW7Pg
— Ushna Shah (@ushnashah) October 31, 2019
And this guy is the most sought-after writer in our TV industry. If he is the one writing the dramas then you can expect the kind of shit you see on TV https://t.co/R5txWrNK3Y
— Ali Gul Pir (@Aligulpir) October 31, 2019
Model and actress, Eman Suleman even spoke out against Qamar’s perverse logic in her interview with Iffat Omar.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B4Wgxi9HiXU/?utm_source=ig_embed
The Aakhri Station actress said that there are misconceptions about feminism here that come up with the trope that equality means hitting back after you are hit by a man. Suleman clarifies that feminism preaches not hitting at all.
