Filmmaker Jawed takes Jami to court over sexual assault allegations

–A young woman artist accuses famous filmmaker of abusing her in a letter to Lahooti Melo organiser

KARACHI: An alleged sexual assault of a woman artist at Lahooti Melo in Jamshoro has brought two film directors Jamshed Jami and Sohail Jawed face to face in the court of law after the former read victim’s letter at the same event in 2018 that accuses a famous filmmaker of harassment, though it doesn’t take names.

The sexual assault reportedly took place at Lahooti Melo in 2016 which was organised by the Sindh’s culture and tourism department at Jamshoro.

One of the organisers of the event, Saif Samejo, resigned after he got a letter from the victim, who chose to remain anonymous for her safety,

However, Jamshed Jami forced him to reveal the truth behind his withdrawal then Saif Samejo handed Jamshed Jami the letter from a nineteen-year-old artist, who was abused by the filmmaker.

Later on, in 2018, Jami read out the letter at the Lahooti Melo. The letter told the story of the artist and how she met the famous director who took her to his apartment and raped her.

“I left the country and it took me two years to overcome it,” she wrote, adding that she decided to share her story because she knew that she was not the only one who fell prey to him.

“There are other young girls too and they feel as helpless and hopeless as I did when I went through this abuse. And he hasn’t stopped. He continues. Many others like him feel even more powerful because survivors like me are quiet. I could not stay quiet anymore,” she added.

“The people to whom this concerns, by now, must have figured his name out by the details I provided above. It is upon them to show their integrity, exclude sexual predators like him from their social circles and discourage this behaviour by not subscribing to their art again, or go they can back to work on their current moral grounds which continues to take and damage countless young lives. Many people in the industry know and still, continue to work with him. I wonder if our society is mature enough to hold them all accountable for this disease their favourite celebrities and people in power, allow to spread? I am not sure,” the letter implored.

The letter drew a strong response from Sohail Jawed, who took Jami to the court for reading out the letter at a public festival.

When contacted, Jamshed Jami said that the truth will come out during the proceeding of the case. “I have full faith in the justice system and I believe the truth shall prevail”.

The organisers of the Lahooti Melo told Pakistan Today that they were not able to comprehend Sohail’s decision to take Jami to the court. “We do not know why the specific person has done this against Jami and what makes that person think that it was for him,” they added.