Dubai: Wife of Pakistani actor and singer, Mohsin Abbas Haider, accused him of domestic violence and cheating, on July 20, through a detailed social media post and netizens shared their opinions.
Fatema Sohail shared a lengthy post on her Facebook, alleging that the actor physically abused her while she was pregnant upon her confronting him about cheating.
The post begins with: “I am Fatema. Wife of Mohsin Abbas Haider and here is my story.”
“On November 26 2018, I caught my husband cheating. When I confronted him, instead of being embarrassed he started beating me. I was pregnant at that time.” she wrote.
Along with the written post, she attached images. These included a picture of Sohail and Haider together, an image of Sohail’s bruised face and a police report that she claimed that she had filed.
Commenting on why she chose not to leave Haider, she wrote: “Societal pressure or my own confidence. I do not know what but I decided to make my marriage work for my own child.”
Sohail also claimed that Haider was not present when she delivered their child and alleged that he spent that time with model Nazish Jehangir: “On May 20, 2019 I was blessed with a beautiful boy. I had surgery due to A complication. While I was in the operation theater in Lahore, my husband was in Karachi sleeping with his GF [girlfriend], Nazish Jehangir, an emerging model and actor. He later posts depressing statuses to get public attention.”
Social media users were quick to comment on the post, taking to Facebook and Twitter. Soon after, #MohsinAbbasHaider and #StopDomesticViolence became the top trends on Twitter in Pakistan.
Tweeps talk domestic violence
Journalist Ali Salman Alvi, @alisalmanalvi, took to Twitter to express his thoughts on domestic abuse: “Hitting your spouse is downright repulsive and it epitomizes male chauvinism in its most sickening form. It has nothing to do with anger or bad temperament. #MohsinAbbasHaider”
There were those who believed that people must wait for Haider’s comment before making their judgements.
Twitter user @TaybaYounus wrote: “I think before giving any opinion we should wait for Mohsin Abbas Haider’s statement. Simple! Wait for the other side of the story then decide what to say and which side one will choose!”
Similarly, user @KausarRehman2 tweeted: “People are getting so judgmental after listening to one side of the story, listen to the other side, too, then will decide who is right and who is wrong. #MohsinAbbasHaider”
While user @gigglypundit appreciated women who come out with their stories of mistreatment: “The number of women finding the courage to openly talk about their experiences of abuse and harassment is incredibly powerful. Scoff at the #metoo movement all you like, but know this, tomorrow it could be your very own daughter. #FatemaSohail #MohsinAbbasHaider”
Haider to hold press conference
According to The News International, an English language daily in Pakistan, the actor has announced that he will respond to allegations in a press conference with evidence, soon.
After one year of the couple’s marriage that took place in 2015, it was widely speculated that the couple had parted ways but Haider took to social media to deny the rumours. They revealed on December 16, 2017, that their first child, daughter Mahveen Abbas Haider, passed away at the age of one month. In May 2019, their son, Haider Abbas Mohsin was born, Samaa TV, a Pakistani news and entertainment television network reported.
