Actor Saba Qamar’s remarks about not wanting to move to Karachi made in October last year continue to spark debate within the entertainment industry, nearly three and a half months after the comments first surfaced. Fellow actors are still expressing differing views on the issue keeping the controversy alive.
The latest reaction came from actor Juvaria Abbasi during her appearance on Ahmed Ali Butt’s podcast Excuse Me. Abbasi clarified that she was not personally upset with Qamar but felt the remarks were expressed in a manner that showed a lack of respect. She said Karachi had played a major role in Qamar’s success adding that artists should respect the cities that give them recognition and livelihood.
Abbasi also took issue with the tone of Qamar’s comment stating that while Lahore is widely respected people do not express disapproval of it using phrases such as Astaghfirullah. She emphasised that all cities belong to Pakistanis and should not be spoken of disrespectfully.
Following the circulation of a short clip from the podcast Qamar responded on Instagram clarifying the religious meaning of the word Astaghfirullah.In a subsequent post she defended her right to express personal views calling freedom of speech a fundamental right and expressing hope for open dialogue without fear.
The controversy has divided opinion on respect for cities, personal expression and responsible speech in the public sphere.
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