苹果为何放弃自主造车？

Singer Sanam Marvi has issued a legal notice to Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi President Ahmed Shah, accusing him of mistreating and threatening her at a recent concert organised in Sukkur. Shah has denied the allegations and says he has not received a copy of the notice yet.

The legal notice follows Marvi’s claims that she was insulted by Shah and not allowed to perform at an event at the Jinnah Municipal Stadium in Sukkur on August 10, despite being engaged to make an appearance. The event in question is one of a series of concerts the Arts Council helped organise on behalf of the Sindh government to celebrate Marka-e-Haq and Independence Day. Marvi performed at a concert in Hyderabad on August 8 as part of the same series.

Marvi’s Aug 10 concert also featured Asim Azhar, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Bilal Saeed, the Young Stunners and HAVI. The last of the three Independence Day events will be held Wednesday night at National Stadium Karachi.

The notice, dated August 11, and issued on Marvi’s behalf by her lawyer, said she agreed to appear at the event, but when she tried to contact the organisers, they did not respond, thus leading to her arriving late at the show.

It said this behaviour, it was learnt from “reliable sources”, was “intentionally adopted with the mala fide object of discriminating against [Marvi] solely on the basis of her being a Sindhi artist”. Images has reached out to Marvi for a comment.

“[The organisers] wilfully failed to answer her calls for an inordinate period of approximately one and a half hours, from 8:30am to 9:40am, thereby intentionally causing delay in her arrival. Such acts, as admitted and evidenced through communications with relevant individuals, were motivated by prejudice against her with the ulterior object of preventing her from timely entry to the venue. [Marvi] was compelled to reach the venue by her own efforts, even dispatching her brothers to assist, only to be left standing outside for an unreasonable duration, in full view of her fans, fellow musicians, and her entire band,” read the notice.

The notice also accuses Shah of physically pushing Marvi as well as “shouting at her in an aggressive and intimidating tone”. “You have further advanced unlawful threats, openly declaring that you would not permit her to step onto the stage, and went so far as to hurl vile and abusive language at her. Such disgraceful conduct, directed towards a lady of her standing and reputation, a distinguished folk singer and cultural icon of the nation, constitutes a gross affront to her dignity, honour, and professional stature. This malicious attempt to humiliate and obstruct her in the performance of her professional duties has caused her immense mental anguish, emotional distress, and irreparable reputational harm.”

She is demanding a public apology from Shah as well as Rs50 million in compensation for damages, including harm to her reputation, emotional distress, and any financial losses incurred. The notice stated that if the apology is not issued and the amount not paid within seven days, civil and criminal proceedings will be initiated.

Shah has denied all of Marvi’s claims. “It’s all pack of lies,” he told Images, adding that he has not received the notice, despite it being readily available on social media.

“I have served Sindh for years and people know me,” he said, adding that he believed the notice was politically motivated and dismissing Marvi’s claims. “Actually, Sanam arrived at around 10 or 10:15pm while her entry was scheduled at 7pm and she was told by the team members to be at the venue by 7:30pm maximum,” he claimed.

He said he only met her when she was entering the Sukkur Gymkhana where all the artists were lined up for their performances, instead of at the venue. “Even Rahat Fatah Ali Khan reached the venue at 6pm because entire show was to be closed at a certain time,” Shah said. “When I met her, I said you may take a cup of tea and we will then have a chat. That’s it. I didn’t speak more,” he said.

Shah said he believed that although the time for her performance had passed, she still came and should, therefore, be given some time on stage before Khan went on as the star performer. “But she left and sat in her vehicle,” he claimed.

He said the cause of her belated arrival was now clear. “She was stuck up on the Indus Highway because of some road blockade and a video was uploaded on social media in which she was speaking to a social media user,” he said.

Shah said throughout his life, he had been politically correct. “I have hosted theatre festivals in Sindh, be it Sukkur, Larkana or Hyderabad. People know it.” He said he would respond to the legal notice when it was officially served to him.