LAHORE: Actress Momina Iqbal has once again set out a detailed position on her ongoing dispute with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Member of the Provincial Assembly Saqib Chadhar, making a series of claims concerning reconciliation efforts, financial offers, alleged pressure and legal proceedings.
Speaking in a recent podcast, Momina Iqbal said she had made repeated attempts to end the matter and reach a settlement, but that alongside being placed under pressure she was also blackmailed into ending the dispute.
According to the actress, certain influential figures in government telephoned her and offered money. She said that Saqib Chadhar had given no money either to her or to her husband, and denied the claim that she had received money in exchange for remaining silent.
Momina Iqbal said her sole condition for a settlement was that Saqib Chadhar state the truth publicly. According to her, Saqib Chadhar initially agreed to release a video containing an apology and also requested that she not give a statement in court, but subsequently the position was allegedly taken that the matter becoming public would damage the reputation of both.
The actress made clear that no agreement for a settlement in exchange for money took place between the two. According to her, lawyers on both sides also held discussions on ending the dispute, while a message was sent to her sister as well — in view of a past association — to close the matter, to which her sister did not respond.
Momina Iqbal claimed that she had a case registered against Saqib Chadhar on allegations of harassment, blackmail, cyber bullying and death threats, but that in court, according to her, the earlier association and other matters were brought under discussion instead of those allegations.
The actress said that in some families harsh and violent behaviour toward women is treated as normal, and that the effects of such family thinking are also visible in the conduct of individuals. She said rejection means rejection, even if a girl decides to end an engagement a day before the nikah.
Momina Iqbal said she has been going through mental anguish and trauma because of the situation for the past four years. She claimed that during the launch of Saqib Chadhar’s political campaign she had assisted him, arranged photo shoots and played a role in his grooming.
According to her, there has been a marked change in Saqib Chadhar’s personality and appearance since 2017. She further claimed that after an alleged matter concerning kidney smuggling relating to Saqib Chadhar surfaced during the elections, her father ended the association, after which allegations began to be exchanged from both sides.
Momina Iqbal said that she faced threats even while trying to end the association and move forward in her life.
The legal dispute between Momina Iqbal and Saqib Chadhar has been running for several months. The actress claimed some months ago, through a post on Instagram, that she was being harassed by a Member of the Provincial Assembly, after which the name of Saqib Chadhar emerged.
The actress took the matter to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), while Saqib Chadhar also presented his position before the authorities.
Saqib Chadhar has since made a number of claims regarding Momina Iqbal and her sister Ramsha Iqbal in his first detailed interview.
Regarding Ramsha Iqbal, Saqib Chadhar claimed that it was he who took her to Australia for higher education and also provided her employment at his security company there.
He said Ramsha Iqbal filed a case of alleged harassment against his business partner in Australia and demanded one million dollars in damages, but that the matter was subsequently settled for 165,000 dollars, which Ramsha allegedly brought to Pakistan.
Saqib Chadhar alleged that both sisters attempted to adopt the same course of conduct against him as well.
Regarding Momina Iqbal’s personal life, Saqib Chadhar claimed that the actress knew he was already married and was nevertheless willing to become his second wife.
He said he was not aware of Momina Iqbal’s marriage in 2018 and her subsequent divorce, but that he later came to know of the marriage and also knows about Momina’s first husband.
Saqib Chadhar further claimed that Momina Iqbal’s lawyer contacted him and demanded Rs200 million. According to him, when he refused to pay this amount, an offer of Rs90 million was made to him, while Momina Iqbal expressed a desire to settle the matter for Rs110 million.
Saqib Chadhar presented, as evidence for his claim, material relating to a meeting with Momina Iqbal’s lawyer and an alleged settlement deed.
Editorial Note: The allegations of harassment, blackmail, threats, financial offers, monetary demands and personal conduct set out above are the respective positions stated by Momina Iqbal and Saqib Chadhar. They are reported here as claims made by the two parties and are not presented as established facts. No court has recorded a finding on these allegations at the time of publication. In line with The Lahore Times editorial policy on fairness and right of reply, both sides’ accounts have been carried in full.
Leave a Reply