These days while everyone has been applauding Hadiqa Kiani for her brilliant performance as a rape victim in Geo TV’s drama, Hadsa. However, there is someone who gets traumatized every time the drama airs on our screens. She is a rape victim of Lahore-Sialkot motorway case.
Hadsa Drama Motorway Incident Story
Back in 2020, a woman was raped in front of her children by two men on the Lahore-Sialkot motorway. Taking inspiration from her story, Geo Television has made a drama serial, Hadsa starring Hadiqa Kiani, Aly Khan, Romaisa Khan, Khaqan Shahnawaz, Saleem Mairaj and Zhalay Sarhadi. The story is written by Zanjabeel Asim. It is showcase production by Shazia Wajahat and Wajahat Rauf. The play is directed by Wajahat Rauf
In the last few episodes, it was shown that Hadiqa was going with her son on the motorway when few people stopped and looted them. They also raped Hadiqa in front of her son. The depiction of the whole situation gave goosebumps to anyone who watched it on their screens. Hadiqa Kiani received a lot of applaud from masses and critics for a mind-blowing performance.
In the meantime, a famous News Anchor Fereeha Idress shared a disturbing post where she mentioned that the actual victim of Lahore-Sialkot motorway case had contacted her and she was not happy with whatever was shown in the drama.
Motorway Victim Breaks Down After Watching Hadsa
Keeping the identity of the victim anonymous, in a detailed post, the journalist wrote that victim broke down into tears while talking about the drama. She told her that every time the drama airs on television all the memories of that horrific incident started recalling in her mind.
When the phone rang, I never expected this to be Z’s call. Z was the person whom I had spoken to a couple of years ago post her traumatic experience on motorway. Those were tumultuous times when everyone’s attention was focused on Z, while she was grappling to keep her sanity…
— Fereeha M Idrees (@Fereeha) August 27, 2023
Fereeha’s post stated, “When the phone rang, I never expected this to be Z’s call. Z was the person whom I had spoken to a couple of years ago post her traumatic experience on a motorway. Those were tumultuous times when everyone’s attention was focused on Z, while she was grappling to keep her sanity intact, identity protected, relationships intact, seeing children dealing with post-trauma, etc”
The poor girl told the journalist that she would prefer to die than go through the same after watching her story on a small screen. She said, “They have made a drama on my life as if I am nothing, no one asked me, it’s the same, they are showing the same things, oh my God! Why didn’t I die before reliving this again? You know, I didn’t sleep after the incident for many many nights and it’s all back now, I haven’t slept a wink since I saw this terrible, horrendous depiction of the most terrible moments of my life which I so want to forget. It’s unbearable, I start shivering every day at 5 pm because I know the drama is coming at 7 pm. Why are they doing this to me?”. I was gobsmacked as I realized the dramatisation which has a star-studded cast has triggered Z’s trauma. It was as if she was going through trauma all over again. How could drama producers be so insensitive?
She also mentioned the day drama aired on television it became difficult for her to move around in her locality. People had once again started pinpointing her saying that HADSA was showing her story. “The moment the drama episode goes on air, all comments start talking about the motorway incident. Can’t they let me forget about this? They have followed my life. Isn’t this harassment? How did they trace things in my life when I was so clear about keeping everything so private? My in-laws must be watching it, my brother-in-law, my mother, my neighbors, oh my God! No one even cared to ask me. I am not dead yet! Do they want me dead? Can’t I just forget about this and move on?
Read: #JusticforFatimaRani: Nadia Jamil, Mahira Khan & Ahsan Khan raise their voices against child trafficking
When will our media learn to be responsible?
It is a positive sign that our media has started to give importance to several social issues like child abuse, domestic violence, and the crisis of rape victims’ lives. However, while doing so they forget to be considerate towards humanity. They go so far in portraying the pain that sometimes they end up doing more damage to the victim’s mental’s health.
The same has happened in the case of Hadsa, Geo chooses to pick a touching topic and is very aptly portraying the story of a rape victim. But in doing so they miss a major point. They haven’t taken permission from the person on whose life this story is based. They should ask her beforehand so that she would be mentally prepared for any sort of consequences.
What should be the next step?
The channel and production house should give importance to the matter and behave like a responsible organization. They should apologize on social media platforms while clearing their stance on the matter. The gesture although is not enough for the damage it has already created but at least it could help the victim’s wounds to heal quickly.
