Babar Azam Accused of Abuse: An Attempt to Gain Media Limelight?

WEB DESK: The trend of allegations of harassment, physical abuse, and sexual relations on celebrities is growing in Pakistan and the recent victim is Pakistan cricket team Captain Babar Azam who is not the first to be accused.

A woman, covering her face with a mask, addressed a presser on Sunday and accused the ace batsman of exploiting her. She claimed that Babar proposed her for marriage in 2010.

The woman, who decided to keep her identity secret, also asserted that the captain beat her up.

“ I have known Babar since long even when he was not into cricket”, the woman told media.

However, the eccentricity on part of the woman was lampooned on social media as Babar is known for his focus on the game.

Many of batsman’s fans who is at the peak of the career held the view that it was merely an attempt to get media limelight.

However, Babar Azam is not the first sportsman or celebrity who is accused without substantial proof.

Pakistan’s renowned pop singer Ali Zafar was also alleged of harassment by female singer Meesha Shafi.

As the claims came in, a campaign gained momentum on social media against the male popstar.

But, when the matter reached the court, the tide turned. Meesha Shafi did not attend the court hearings to prove her allegations neither tabled any proves.

Instead, the female singer resorted to intentional deference of the case.

Many of Ali Zafar’s fans blamed Meesha for trying to get media hype through the move. They contended that if the claims were substantial, the female singer would have come to the court to prove them.

Other such instances had occurred with Pakistani cricket stars in the past too.

Back in 2010, an Indian woman Ayesha Siddiqui emerged claiming that the Pakistan cricket team’s ex-captain Shoab Malik was married to her.

Ayesha had accused Shoaib Malik after the cricketer had announced to marry Indian tennis star, Sania Mirza.

However, the matter later reached a settlement without determination of what actually happened.

Back in 2015, an Indian television (TV) celebrity Arshi Khan fueled controversy when she tweeted that he had slept with Pakistan’s star all-rounder Shahid Afridi.

However, she later apologized for the tweet in a TV show in 2018.

Such baseless allegations thus raise exploitation of an issue as sensitive as harassment or exploitation of women.

Now, if any such case unfolds in the media against celebrities, the critics, who undermine the sensitivity of the issue, cite it as an attempt to gain media attention.

Hence, if it is not stopped, the real victims of harassment may get encumbered to get justice.