On Tuesday, model-turned-actor Saheefa Jabbar Khattak sparked a social media storm after an Instagram submit by which she named and criticised her home helper, Musarrat, for her spending decisions (infringement of privateness, rely one).
The submit started in a story fashion, attribute of the left column of the actor’s Instagram grid. In response to Khattak, her mom known as furiously after having accessed and scrutinised Musarrat’s social media by means of the actor’s cellphone — infringement of privateness, rely two. Khattak initially started on a half-decent foot, noting that, “This cash was meant for charity. If somebody chooses to spend it nonetheless they need, that is on them.”
However that was the ounce of decency within the submit. The Teri Meri Kahani star went onto state, “It hurts to see that whenever you attempt to assist people who find themselves underprivileged, they find yourself losing cash.” She expressed disappointment concerning her home assist spending PKR50,000 – cash Khattak had given her – on gadgets similar to Eid garments and a bicycle for her kids, inside two days. The actor went on to inform her viewers about her helper’s and her husband’s wages (infringement of privateness, rely three), utilizing the numbers to elaborate upon how she would have most popular to make the purchases herself, choosing thrift procuring at Sunday Markets or shopping for fabric from Liberty market to get it stitched at a less expensive value.
Moreover, Khattak publicly detailed features of Musarrat’s private life, together with the situation of her rest room and her residence’s leaky roof, with out her consent (infringement of privateness, rely 4). All this was not sufficient; the actor rounded off the submit by telling her followers precisely what her helper purchased, for the way a lot and previous to this incident, precisely what number of of her personal garments she had already given away to her (infringement of privateness, rely ?).
Social media firestorm
The web swiftly criticised Khattak’s remarks. One consumer described it as “an influence transfer disguised as kindness,” highlighting the unsettling tendency to dictate the lives of these receiving charity. In an analogous vein, one other IG consumer commented, “Crying on social media how your househelp spent the cash after you gave them 50k which might be nothing for you and simply the value tag on one in all your outfits? Is your own home assist not grown sufficient to resolve what she must spend cash on?”
In a separate remark, one of many actor’s followers commented, “I assumed you had a pleasant glad relationship along with her and he or she was, in a manner, your good friend. Does she know that you simply selected to show that very same one who trusts you sufficient to be part of your movies fortunately and genuinely?.” She went on to emphasize, “The elemental difficulty is after we give cash, we additionally wish to play God and resolve how the opposite particular person spends cash.”
In most likely essentially the most empathetic argument towards the actor’s submit, the consumer stated, “Our helpers see us residing an extravagant life and likewise need a greater one. In addition they wish to exit and purchase issues, in addition they need pleasure. Why aren’t you content for her?” Lastly, one other consumer questioned, “Why are the poor held to such insane requirements?” Along with that, many commenters famous that if the cash was really given within the spirit of charity, the giver had no proper to police its use. Others identified the disturbing class disconnect in Khattak’s submit.
Khattak weighs in
In response to the backlash, Khattak defended her stance within the feedback part, itemizing varied gadgets she and her household had given Musarrat over time, together with toys, PR packages, goodies, and garments from her shoots. She claimed, “If I take you to her home, all the pieces she owns is given to her by me.” Khattak additional acknowledged, “I contemplate Musarrat my sister. And as an older sister, I’ll at all times slap the s**t out of my sister for losing cash like that particularly when she is likely one of the needy ones,” which many perceived as infantilising and policing a grown girl’s private spending decisions.
Khattak additionally posted movies with Musarrat by which they laughed on the backlash, and later made a second submit doubling down on her sentiments. She acknowledged, “I imagine in monetary accountability, not only for myself however for individuals who work for me. I would like my home assist to safe her future, maintain her kids, guarantee their well being and training, and safeguard her residence and household. Saving cash will not be greed; it is survival.” On this second submit, the actor vehemently defended herself, going as far as to current her as a sufferer, solely to be met with additional criticism within the feedback.
Digital harassment or a wake-up name, one factor is for certain. The web’s backlash has probed Khattak sufficient to disturb her in any other case aesthetic Instagram grid.