‘Rejection means rejection,’ says Momina Iqbal

Pakistani actress Momina Iqbal has once again spoken openly about the ongoing controversy involving Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MPA Saqib Chadhar, claiming that she was pressured and allegedly blackmailed to settle the matter.

Speaking on a recent podcast, Iqbal discussed Saqib Chadhar’s reported attempts at reconciliation and rejected claims that any financial settlement had been reached between them.

“I tried very hard to resolve the matter, but we were pressured and blackmailed into ending it,” the actress said.

Iqbal claimed that some influential figures in the government contacted her by phone and offered her money, but said that neither she nor her husband received any money from Chadhar.

She also rejected an alleged claim by Chadhar that she had accepted money in exchange for remaining silent. According to Iqbal, her only condition for reconciliation was that Chadhar publicly tell the truth about the matter.

The actress said Chadhar had initially agreed to release a video apologising and had asked her not to testify in court. However, she claimed that he later took the position that making the dispute public would damage both their reputations.

Iqbal maintained that there was no agreement between the two sides to settle the matter in exchange for money.

She said lawyers representing both sides had held discussions about resolving the dispute. She also claimed that a message was sent to her sister asking her to help end the matter in view of Iqbal’s past relationship with Chadhar, but her sister did not respond.

Iqbal further alleged that she had filed a case against Chadhar over harassment, blackmail, cyberbullying and death threats. However, she claimed that instead of addressing these allegations in court, discussions focused on their past relationship and other personal matters.

The actress said that in some families, harsh and abusive treatment of women is considered normal, and that such attitudes can influence people’s behaviour.

“Rejection means rejection, even if a girl ends a relationship just one day before marriage,” she said.

Iqbal added that she had been suffering mental distress and trauma because of the situation for the past four years.

The actress also recalled her past involvement in Chadhar’s political campaign, saying she had supported him when he began his political career, arranged his photo shoots and played a role in his grooming.

According to Iqbal, there has been a significant change in Chadhar’s personality and appearance since 2017.

She claimed that during the elections, allegations concerning Chadhar and alleged kidney trafficking surfaced, following which her father ended the relationship. She said a series of allegations and counter-allegations followed.

Iqbal said that while she was trying to end the relationship and move on, she was also allegedly subjected to threats.