Pakistan court reserves order on petition against Meera

THE Sindh High Court has reserved an order on the maintainability of a petition, seeking ban on release of the Bollywood film "Nazar" starring Pakistani actress Meera.

Earlier, Muzafar Hussain Askari had submitted a petition against the screening of the film in Pakistan on grounds that Meera's actions were against Islamic ethics and moral values and Pakistani culture.

It was further stated that it was also in violation of Islamic ethics as depicted in the Article of Constitution.

The SHC's bench comprising Chief Justice Saiyed Saeed Ashhad and Justice Maqbool Baqar, after hearing, reserved order on maintainability of the petition.

Recap

The much talked about hullabaloo over Pakistani actress Meera’s act for performing alleged bold scenes in the Bollywood film ‘Nazar’ doesn't seem to have dished—as it took a new turn on Thursday.

After all the hype Meera's 'bold performance' in the film generated, a person has filed a petition against the actress in the Sindh High Court [SHC] on grounds that Meera had performed in immoral scenes that did not match with Pakistan's religious and social values, a report by the ARY news channel says.

The report said that the petition, filed by one Muzaffar Hussain Askari, would be presented before a two-member SHC bench for hearing, adding that the Religious Affairs Ministry and Culture and Tourism Ministry were also made party in the petition,

The petition has also asked the court to ban the film in Pakistan and restrain Meera from working on such projects in future.

The petitioner’s lawyer told the channel that the court was asked to ban the film in Pakistan, as some scenes in the film were not reflective of Pakistani society.

Meera said on Thursday that Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed had assured her security after she received death threats from “extremist elements”. The government had also provided her with guards, she said.

Of Arrival

Back in her country, Pakistani actress Meera is again in the eye of a storm

When I walked out from the Karachi airport, I was surprised to see that the entire Pakistani media had come to receive me. Mujhe laga kya main Lady Diana ya Aishwarya Rai ban gayi hoon? I was apprehensive. I thought the media would be hostile to me.

Media reaction

Meera who had gone to Mumbai for shooting of Indian director Mahesh Bhatt's movie Nazar in which she is alleged to have performed some obscene roles arrived in Karachi on Wednesday.

"I have also returned to sue those who have levelled allegations against me," said Meera.

She said nobody could stop her from coming to Pakistan. "I cannot quit showbiz just because of few of detractors. I will work in Indian movies in future as well," said Meera emphatically.

In the past, whenever I had returned from abroad, nobody from the media had ever come to the airport to interview me or click my photo. How did they know that I was flying back home? Sab kuch ek kiss ka kissa hai . Everybody asked me questions. I was asked why I had come back to Pakistan -- ab aap kya karegi? I said: yeh mera mulq hai , I can come and go as I please'.

I became the subject of debate on national TV in a programme titled Chhoti Khabar, Badi Baat , in which politicians debated the kiss' between a Pakistani actress and an Indian actor in a Hindi film for an hour.

TV channels want to interview me, newspapers want to carry my photo. The headlines scream: Meera's back'. I'm back in Pakistan to meet my family and decide on future projects but my phone hasn't stopped ringing ever since I landed. Everyone wants to know if I'm alright, everyone is advising me to be strong. I've been given 10 bodyguards.

Over the next few days, I'll meet authorities and some fundamentalists in Islamabad.

Asked: What next? Meera Responded: Wait and See.●