Interviews

Khalilur Rehman Reveals Talk show Clash on ‘Taghoot’ was Scripted

Pakistani screenwriter and poet Khalilur-Rehman Qamar has made a startling claim regarding last year’s viral “Taghoot scandal,” stating that the controversial talk show confrontation was “pre-planned” and not spontaneous.

Speaking on a podcast this week, Qamar alleged that the televised clash between Islamic scholar Saahil Adeem and a female guest was orchestrated for dramatic effect.

The episode, aired in June 2024, had sparked nationwide debate over gender roles, religious authority, and freedom of expression.

Qamar claimed that the show’s producers intentionally staged the conflict to provoke public outrage and media attention. “It wasn’t an accident. The narrative was scripted to reach a certain climax,” he said.

According to Qamar, as soon as Saahil Adeem referred to women as ignorant, he was about to intervene to clarify that ignorance is not exclusive to women — he considers anyone who hasn’t read the Holy Quran with translation, whether male or female, to be ignorant.

However, before he could speak, a female participant interrupted, and the direction of the discussion took a sharp turn.

Khalilur-Rehman Qamar also expressed his astonishment at the woman’s demand for an apology from a scholar like Saahil Adeem.

In his view, everyone makes mistakes, but what triggered his anger was the perceived disrespect.

He stated that the entire incident clearly shows the producers’ intention was to create provocation and extract a specific type of reaction — and that they succeeded in doing so.

The programme, aired in June last year, featured Saahil Adeem making harsh remarks about women.

He claimed that if 100 women were surveyed, he would find 95% to be ignorant, obsessed only with makeup and TikTok, and unaware of fundamental Islamic concepts such as “Taghoot”.

In response, a participant named Azbah Abdullah protested against his statements and demanded an apology.

The situation quickly escalated into a heated exchange. Adeem questioned whether the young woman even knew the meaning of “Taghoot”. When she admitted she didn’t, he declared that this was precisely what ignorance was — and that she should accept it.

The argument didn’t stop there. The woman countered that the reason many women are deprived of knowledge is due to a patriarchal society, but Saahil Adeem disagreed, insisting that calling out ignorance is a religious obligation.

During the heated discussion, Qamar also lost his composure. He expressed anger at the young woman, stating that if listening to Arabic verses was painful for her, it was unacceptable. He then asked the host to cut her microphone — a moment that intensified the controversy.

The episode quickly went viral on social media. Now, nearly a year later, Qamar’s revelation that the entire incident was “scripted.”

Also Read: Iffat Omar Defends Khalilur Rehman in Video Scandal

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Interviews

Khaled Anam Laments Decline in Muharram’s Sanctity

Veteran actor Khaled Anam openly criticized how people now commemorate the tragedy of Karbala, arguing that Muharram has lost its sanctity and become a commercial event.

Speaking on the Off The School podcast, Anam lamented the shift from tradition, saying, “When finances enter the equation, things take a different direction.” He pointed out that some people who forbid music have no issue adding drum machine beats to naats and nohas. “These are not tunes!” he stressed.

He noted that senior artists no longer guide juniors, and juniors, in turn, reject any mentorship. “They just say they’re earning millions on YouTube and know better,” he added. Anam criticized the current trend of stylized Muharram videos, saying, “This is not a film!”

Recalling the past, he praised the respectful tone of PTV’s Muharram programming, where presenters wore black sherwanis and maintained solemnity. He contrasted that with the current culture: “Karbala and Muharram have become just another event — like Ramazan transmissions — with albums released just for the occasion.”

He criticized record labels for dictating what naats get recorded and condemned the glamourization of mourning. “You can’t blow-dry your hair and wear full makeup to perform a noha with theatrical gestures,” he said, gesturing in frustration.

Summing up his views, Anam declared, “People need to make the occasion meaningful without losing its message. The sanctity has been lost.”

Also Read: Bilal Qureshi on age gap in marriage and importance of respect

Interviews

Saqib Sumeer Shares Chilling Encounter with a Jinn

Pakistani actor Saqib Sumeer shared the most terrifying experience of his life when he encountered a girl allegedly possessed by a jinn.

During a recent TV program, Saqib recalled how his casual friendship with two neighboring girls took a frightening turn. “I was living in a rented house when I became friends with two girls who lived next door. One day, they told me that a jinn would sometimes possess one of them,” he said.

Wanting to help, Saqib told them to call him whenever it happened. When the jinn returned, the girls contacted him. Concerned about gossip, Saqib invited them to his house instead of going to theirs.

As the possession began, Saqib described how the girl’s hair covered her face and she made strange noises. Frightened, he began silently reciting Surah An-Naas — until the jinn looked at him and said, “Stop reciting.” The chilling moment left him trembling.

Despite his fear, Saqib stayed calm and continued supporting the girls through the ordeal. “It was the scariest moment of my life — something I’ll never forget,” he said.

Also Read: Samina Peerzada Claims Jinn Attack Before Deemak Shoot

Interviews

Samina Peerzada Claims Jinn Attack Before Deemak Shoot

Veteran actress Samina Peerzada recently opened up about a strange and frightening experience she had before filming her horror movie Deemak.

Speaking on a television program, she revealed that a jinn attacked her just before the shoot began.

“I was attacked by a jinn before the shooting of Deemak. It had already come to me,” she said, recalling the incident.

She explained that when the backyard light at her home wouldn’t turn on despite asking her house help multiple times, she decided to turn it on herself.

“As I turned on the light and walked back, something suddenly pushed me hard from behind,” she said. “I fell far and got several injuries—but there was no one else there. It was the jinn.”

Despite the terrifying encounter, Samina didn’t let it interfere with her work. “I bandaged my injury and went straight to the shoot. I completed the filming,” she shared.

Deemak, a horror film featuring Samina Peerzada, Faisal Quraishi, and Sonia Hussain, released on Eid-ul-Adha and has been well received at the box office.

Who is Samina Peerzada

Samina Peerzada began her career as a model in 1974 before acting in films like Nazdikiyan, Mukhra, and Bulandi. She performed internationally, including at Oslo’s Ibsen Festival, and starred in stage plays like Raaz-o-Niaz and A Doll’s House.

Her TV roles include Zindagi Gulzar Hai and Meri Zaat Zarra-e-Benishan. She debuted in Hollywood with The Valley (2018) and directed Inteha, a film on marital rape, followed by Shararat. She now hosts the YouTube show Rewind with Samina Peerzada.

Also Read: Samina Peerzada Opens Up About 7-Year Break from Showbiz