With the #MeToo movement’s success up to date, it does not come as a surprise to us that it has reached Pakistan. This movement has encouraged women all over the world and Pakistan to be courageous and speak up. It has inspired people to share their truth. One such #MeToo story that has come to light revolves around Faisal Edhi – Abdus Sattar Edhi’s son.
A twitter user has leveled these accusations against Faisal Edhi, detailing her experience
*takes a deep breathe*
Since this is all coming out, #MeToo too many times than I can count, but this one is about Faisal Edhi, Abdus Sattar Edhi's son – the guy heading the Edhi Foundation now.
It happened when I was very young (22 or 23 years old, I think.)
— Urooj Zia (@Sewrigami) October 10, 2018
To date, the husband is the only person to whom I've ever told this, but it is time for folks to know. Am I worried about backlash? Yes. Do I have the spoons for nonsense? No. But like I said, it needs to be told now. As anyone who knows me well will testify, I'm not one to stay
— Urooj Zia (@Sewrigami) October 10, 2018
She says that she has already prepared herself for the backlash she will receive for sharing her story.
on things. But this happened when I was very young, and fairly unsure of myself. I thought I might have done something to "invite" it. Took me a long time to understand that it was not my fault.
Back then, I used to be a member of one of the tiny commie parties in the country.
— Urooj Zia (@Sewrigami) October 10, 2018
She reached out to the foundation as a means to get funding for her committee and heard Faisal Edhi wanted to give them a hand.
I was the only woman in the Party's "Karachi Committee." Funds were always short in the Party. We were told that Faisal Edhi was a Leftie, and he wanted to support us. I was asked to go meet him; I agreed, since I worked close to their Tower center (I was a reporter at The News,
— Urooj Zia (@Sewrigami) October 10, 2018
office on Chundrigar Road, about 5 minutes drive from the Edhi Center at Merrewether Tower.) Work started at about 7 p.m, because I was also a subeditor on the City desk. So I went to the Edhi Center at around 6 p.m to meet with Faisal Edhi on behalf of the Party.
Faisal was
— Urooj Zia (@Sewrigami) October 10, 2018
Urooj goes more in-depth about the initial meeting she had with him.
civil during the meeting, we discussed how we could work together, etc, I was professional, he was too. When I was leaving, he asked me how I was going to get to work. I said that I'd probably take a taxi or a rickshaw, or I'd walk, it would take only about 15 mins.
He offered
— Urooj Zia (@Sewrigami) October 10, 2018
to drop me off. I said, sure. Here was a guy who was much older than me, had behaved well, I didn't see a reason to refuse. He also asked for my number "for further discussion," and I gave it to him.
He rolled out his Suzuki dabba, I sat up front. We got to the office building,
— Urooj Zia (@Sewrigami) October 10, 2018
This is when things took a turn for the worst.
I thanked him, and started to get off. He held out his hand. I shook it politely, at which point, he grabbed my hand tightly and tried to kind of pull me back into the van. I was already halfway out, and didn't realise what he was doing. When he pulled even harder, I suddenly
— Urooj Zia (@Sewrigami) October 10, 2018
"came to," sort of, angrily took my arm back, and walked off. Sitting in the safety of my workplace (The News always felt like home), I gaslighted myself, told myself that maybe what I thought had happened hadn't happened, and maybe I was "misreading" the whole thing. Maybe I
— Urooj Zia (@Sewrigami) October 10, 2018
was overreacting, maybe he was making sure that I got out safely. After all, he was Faisal Edhi, how could I even think that he would misbehave in this manner.
So I put the whole thing away, mentally berating myself for thinking such horrible things about "such a selfless,
— Urooj Zia (@Sewrigami) October 10, 2018
The nightmare had apparently just begun.
noble person."
But that nightmare had just begun. Two days later, Faisal Edhi started messaging me in the middle of the night – about 2-3 a.m. Random messages, about completely random things. I used to get home from work around that time, super-tired, dealing with the
— Urooj Zia (@Sewrigami) October 10, 2018
additional nightmare that "home life" was for me, desperate for some peace and "down time." I wouldn't reply to his messages. I also used to be broke AF (print journos get paid shit here; I'd get Rs30k per month), and didn't want to waste phone credit responding to random crap.
— Urooj Zia (@Sewrigami) October 10, 2018
She believes she had been conditioned to think that it was okay for him to be behaving in this manner and that it was completely appropriate.
I still didn't realise that he was being inappropriate, by the way, because I had been conditioned into thinking that way.
A few days later, Faisal called me about 4 p.m, asking if I was angry at him. I was getting ready to leave for work at the time, also dealing with what I
— Urooj Zia (@Sewrigami) October 10, 2018
call "my nightmare at home," and was distracted. I couldn't understand why he away asking me this, and said exactly that to him. He said that I hadn't responded to any of his messages. I said, "Yeah, I don't have credit, plus I'm not a texting person."
Faisal offered to send
— Urooj Zia (@Sewrigami) October 10, 2018
phone credit to me; I thanked him and politely refused. He said, "But friends do these things for friends, it is no big deal. Aren't we friends?" I said that I was busy and didn't have time to talk, and politely disconnected the call – again: not because I thought he was being
— Urooj Zia (@Sewrigami) October 10, 2018
inappropriate, but because I legit had to leave for work. My radar was very broken back then, thanks to my predator parents' conditioning.
That night, he called at 3 a.m. I didn't answer, because I was tired AF after a whole day of work stress and home stress.
He called again
— Urooj Zia (@Sewrigami) October 10, 2018
He continued his mission, according to Urooj.
the next day, about 4 p.m, and asked to meet. I told him the truth: I was very busy that week. He said that he was leaving for London that night, and "if we don't meet today, we won't be able to meet for a while, and Party work would be delayed." I said that Party work could wait
— Urooj Zia (@Sewrigami) October 10, 2018
because I was legit busy with work that day, and politely disconnected the call.
Two nights later, he called at 2:30 a.m. I didn't answer. He texted that it was urgent and about the Party. Then he called again, and I answered. He said that he was in London, and was calling me
— Urooj Zia (@Sewrigami) October 10, 2018
Urooj highlights the point where she feels she finally “woke up” to his actions
"all the way from there because you're a special girl, Urooj." AAAAAAAAALL my internal radars woke up in that moment. "WHAT did you just say?!" I asked incredulously. He repeated himself. I was aghast, terrified, numb, all of those cliches. He went on and on for a few minutes
— Urooj Zia (@Sewrigami) October 10, 2018
in that same vein. I was gobsmacked, and not in a good way. He said that Party funding and assistance would be withdrawn if I didn't want to be "friends" with him. I hung up, retched violently, and went to the restroom and threw up.
This was a married man. With kids. Much
— Urooj Zia (@Sewrigami) October 10, 2018
older than me. This was Abdus Sattar Edhi's son. WTF was he saying?! I sat there shaking for over an hour. He kept blowing up my phone all night until I switched it off.
I never answered his phone again, and never saw him again. The Party got no funds-shunds. He continued to
— Urooj Zia (@Sewrigami) October 10, 2018
The only way to stop him was getting a new number, she stated.
terrorise me by bombarding my phone with messages and calls until I got a new number for myself (an inconvenience and a half, because I had to call all my sources and contacts and update them with the new number.)
For years and years, I blamed myself for "maybe doing something
— Urooj Zia (@Sewrigami) October 10, 2018
which had led to this." This garbage conditioning runs deep. Until the day I realised that *I* had done nothing wrong; *he* had. Still, I kept it to myself because of who he was. "Who would believe me," I thought. Folks will pile on me because he is "Edhi saheb's son."
No more.
— Urooj Zia (@Sewrigami) October 10, 2018
She shared her story knowing the repercussions of her actions.
If there's backlash, there's backlash, so be it. I'm not afraid of predators and their enablers anymore. Fuck Faisal Edhi and predators like him. May they rot forever.
/END
— Urooj Zia (@Sewrigami) October 10, 2018
Amidst the allegations, Faisal Edhi has also come out with a statement of denial
While speaking to a local publication he said is reported to have said, “I do not even know this lady and I have no idea why she is leveling allegations against me. I have no recollection of any such incident.”
He claims he does not know her and does not recall any of the incidences ever taking place.
A story like this is enough to shake up Pakistani and garner a lot of reactions.
Thank you for sharing your story. Its not easy, but it's necessary. Too many ppl in this country don't get how consent works. It's bcos men are just as conditioned as women are. And this shit needs to stop. Doesn't matter if it's #FaisalEdhi or #Alizafar #timesup
— Annie Shahid (@shahid_ainee) October 10, 2018
Unbelievable, Faisal Edhi not just any random Faisal
— Ali Faisal (@AliFaisalJ) October 10, 2018
Pakistanis are hence reacting accordingly, where a lot of them are sending love and support.
I'm very sorry 4 what u have been through. who wud've thought dat anyone belonging 2 Edhi family (Read caretaker of helpless women and children) cud b a predator? I'm devastated 4 u and 4 all women under his care, at the mercy of this wretched man. Love and solidarity for you <3
— Erum Tanvir (@etanvir) October 10, 2018
What a nightmare. Thinking of so many vulnerable kids and women under his care.
— Maria Shamim (@Mariaa_54) October 10, 2018
Many supported her decision of coming out and telling the world what she went through at such a young age.
This is shocking as hell.
We all believe you and hats off to your courage. Your are one amazing lady i wanted to meet and met few days back. More power to you Urooj— Faryal Najeeb (@Fayraii) October 10, 2018
Urooj! You’re so brave for speaking up knowing there could be backlash. Sorry you went through it and felt guilty. It’s not your fault, never was. Thank you for speaking up. ♥️
— Maryam (@maryamful) October 10, 2018
Shocked to read this about the son of my personal hero. I wonder how many like you would be out there who didn't have the courage to speak up. I believe you. Urooz you be you. Stay strong and bash on. Lots of blessings.
— Nukes Lelo (@NukesLelo) October 10, 2018
Many Pakistanis felt her pain and apologized for it.
OK! I'm not good with words so I can't show the real emotions, but I feel very sorry for you, and worried for thousands of kids and women under him. If he can do this to an independent woman one can only imagine how those people are being treated who are totally dependent on him.
— Waseem Tahir (@iamWaseemTahir) October 10, 2018
I’m lost for words. Thanks for sharing your story. I’m so sorry you had to go through that.
I feel so sad after reading this. This guy has the responsibility of looking after hundreds of vulnerable women. Just terrible.— aleysha (@aleysha110) October 10, 2018
Lots of love and support from across the border. I know how tough it can be to come out with such traumatizing details and being forced to recall and recount them.
More power to you!— A_Narain (@a_naari) October 10, 2018
People vowed to stand by her in solidarity and sent her lots of love and support.
You are so brave. Sending you love 💜
— Ruby Zaidi (@Ruby2805) October 10, 2018
Totally with you ❤️ hugs 😘 this is really sad, stay strong
— Habiba Adil (@HabibaAdil) October 10, 2018
I believe you, support you, and stand with you.
— Sukena Rizvi (@SukenaRizvi) October 10, 2018
Sending you solidarity..stay strong and proud. Well done for not being afraid or feeling ashamed and naming #FaisalEdhi
— Farrah (@GuyyanMirza) October 10, 2018
Solidarity. I'm sorry that happened to you.
— Issam Ahmed (@IssamAhmed) October 10, 2018
What is your opinion on this? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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Cover image via samaa.tv