"That is the only way to put an end to this.”
Iffat Omar appeared on Shehzad Ghias’ The Pakistan Experience podcast and spoke about her career.
The model-turned-actress shared her opinions on the #MeToo movement and recalled the time she spoke up for Meesha Shafi after she accused Ali Zafar of sexual harassment.
She said: “I understand.
“A lot of young men and women can’t speak up, but when they do, listen to them.
“That is the only way to put an end to this.”
Iffat also detailed her feelings towards politics and feminism, whilst opening up about how she was mocked for not being able to speak English properly.
Iffat stated: “The elitist crowd would look down upon you and say ‘This person doesn’t know English’.
“We were made to feel complex about our English speaking skills.
“After that, we were made to feel complex about our Urdu as well.”
When speaking about her acting career, Iffat revealed she was called a derogatory term which was deemed an insult to her Punjabi heritage, further mocked for the way she spoke in Urdu.
She was often told how to pronounce certain words, but this was difficult at times for Iffat as she had a strong Punjabi accent.
Despite being mocked for her accent, Iffat Omar claimed she considered herself lucky because she was still given many work opportunities because of which she is well recognised in the entertainment industry.
“[despite the challenges], but still I must say I was lucky. Perhaps there were fewer people, which is why I got a lot of chances and I worked a lot.”
Iffat proceeded to shed light on her experiences within the industry stating that she often found herself attempting a conversation whilst her colleagues remained quiet, and put it down to personal characteristics.
“Nobody supports one another. People who have the power to take a cause forward, show restraint.”
Iffat Omar is well-known for her modelling career and is often questioned about her bold fashion choices.
She went on to star in television shows and starred in the likes of Mohabbat Aag Si, Thori Si Wafa Chahiye, Mujhe Jeenay Do and Aangan.
One of her most popular shows was the 1995 drama Aap Jaisa Koi in which she played a career-oriented woman who lived in a house with other working women.
The drama was considered modern for its time, as it was almost unheard of for women to establish a career for themselves.
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