Life & Style

Hamza Ali Abbasi turns social media into a war zone

Hamza Ali Abbasi and Imaan Mazari are at war supporting their stances on legalisation of gay marriages

Entertainment Desk June 29, 2015

Hamza Ali Abbasi and Imaan Mazari are at war supporting their stances on legalisation of gay marriages. PHOTO: FILE

Entitlement of opinion is a luxury only human race enjoys. Hamza Ali Abbasi is known to have an opinion on almost everything that stirs up controversy -- the most recent one being his stance on the legalisation of gay marriage in the US.

As we reported earlier, Hamza put up a status on Facebook expressing his disappointment at people in Pakistan celebrating the US Supreme Court judgment. He has since edited his post multiple times probably because he just kept wanting to add more without breaking the impact of his opinion.

He then edited it to redefine 'human equality' because apparently he feels a lot of people are butchering the notion with a kleaver.

And the novices must know what tolerance is about.

But when the 12-year-old showed his innocent inquisition, Hamza sensed the danger that the minds of the youngsters might get polluted.

Hamza and his guesses..

The actor also changed his Facebook profile picture:

He doesn't seem to be active on Twitter but the issue at hand was so serious it prompted Hamza to share his opinion there was well:

I can tolerate Pakistanis celebrating gay marriage being legal in US, but i will not celebrate it. Hate the sin, not the sinner.
— Hamza Ali Abbasi (@iamhamzaabbasi) June 28, 2015

The reactions to his posts were extreme. Some showed support, others opposed.

Read: Hamza Ali Abbasi, social activist or moral crusader?

Here are different reactions compiled from social media that followed Hamza’s opinion on the legalisation of gay marriage in the US:

Hamza Ali Abbasi could just inform his nephew that gay marriage is legal in the US now, & it's voluntary. His nephew could be less ignorant.
— Usama Khilji (@UsamaKhilji) June 28, 2015

https://twitter.com/KiranOpal/status/615273131331026945

Hamza Ali Abbasi reminds me of a friend who knows nothing about anything but has to comment on everything just to look cool.. #Moron
— Usman Syed (@usmansm) June 28, 2015

@KhanDH90 @iamhamzaabbasi religion nonsense spouted by idiots and followed by those who can't think for themselves
— christopher (@Chris453Chris) June 28, 2015

https://twitter.com/AlmasVaseem/status/615184716786991105
https://twitter.com/BooyaBible/status/615404225934131200
https://twitter.com/ChuckUmeboshi/status/615359520018034688

@iamhamzaabbasi Barbaric neanderthals like you are just one of the few things which require desperate eviction from this country. Bellend!
— mehdi 🌻 (@smhdr) June 28, 2015

@iamhamzaabbasi Wish we had more saner voices like u in show biz. Keep going Hamza, u might add good values to the industry.
— Salman Latif (@SalmanLat) June 28, 2015

@iamhamzaabbasi Moral crusader. This nincompoop knows how to use Islam as tool to fuel people's emotions. Social activists! take notes.
— pariah (@pix3lated_mess) June 29, 2015

https://twitter.com/BajiPlease/status/615219179667369984

An interesting debate started when Imaan Hazir Mazari, daughter of Shireen Mazari -- spokesperson of PTI -- raised her voice in favour of gay marriages.

"@BuzzFeed: Celebratory photos from SC after pro-marriage equality ruling http://t.co/3kKcsnc54h pic.twitter.com/4uT8NivNlu" Good job, America!!
— Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir (@ImaanZHazir) June 26, 2015

Someone else finally having the right to marry someone they love doesn't make a difference in your life. Keep your hate to yourself.
— Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir (@ImaanZHazir) June 27, 2015

Bigots hating on marriage eq saying things like "u were born bec ur parents were straight." Appalling how such ppl exist in the 21st century
— Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir (@ImaanZHazir) June 27, 2015

No religion teaches u to discriminate/spread venom ag a particular grp of people based on your personal life preferences. #BanHamzaAliAbbasi
— Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir (@ImaanZHazir) June 28, 2015

I just reported Hamza Ali Abbasi for hate speech.
Please do the same. Incase you haven't read the filth he wrote: https://t.co/GSMvjwjp8n
— Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir (@ImaanZHazir) June 28, 2015

The debate led to two trends on Twitter, one to report Imaan Mazari and the other to ban Hamza Ali Abbasi

So clearly I was right about PTI being a bigoted party. PTI supporters have started trending "Report Imaan Hazir." If you think you can 1/2
— Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir (@ImaanZHazir) June 28, 2015

I stand with @ImaanZHazir! You go girl #BanHamzaAliAbbasi
— A A (@aalmisterr) June 28, 2015

Okay so now idiots want to report @ImaanZHazir because she's speaking up for marginalised groups. Selective morality on rights by bigots.
— Usama Khilji (@UsamaKhilji) June 28, 2015

Didn't expected this type of Reply frm Shireen Mazari .
@HamzaAbasiAli #ReportImaanZHazir pic.twitter.com/YmqtCLZZ4z
— عاصم منیر اور قمرباجوہ غدار ہیں (@G0_NAWAZ_G0) June 29, 2015

#BanHamzaAliAbbasi not because he doesn't have the right to free speech but offending a group of people is not free speech it's rude.
— Vishal farid raza (@vishalraza) June 28, 2015

https://twitter.com/mehrma234/status/615377230936420352

R all the desi liberals gay? We understand you love Billo, but same sex marriage is forbidden in Islam! Hamza is right! #BanHamzaAliAbbasi
— Batool Ali 🥀 (@Naarae_Haideri) June 28, 2015

Well done, lads, you've served your nation well by bad mouthing a girl on Twitter. How dare she question (your concepts) of morality, no?
— Nadeem Farooq Paracha (@NadeemfParacha) June 29, 2015

And there are some users who still have no clue what's going on:
https://twitter.com/OyeTalha/status/615306943674998784

And some are just having fun:

It's hilarious seeing the Twitter civil war amongst the PTI trolls and their dueling hashtags of #ReportImaanZHazir & #BanHamzaAliAbbasi 😂
— Zeeshan Shah (@zeeshan_shah_dc) June 28, 2015

And there is one with twisted hopes:
https://twitter.com/umerhusein/status/615258246803161088

COMMENTS (39)

Karima Santosh | 9 years ago | Reply @Zeta is so correct: "Being GAY is not a choice that is why they choose to get their heads bashed, to get killed, to lose their jobs, to be denied basic? Remove the cobwebs of ignorance why would be people chose a life where they have to tolerate such danger. When gay men & women were allowed to have or adopt kids, religious bigots screamed that their children would be gay !! When data shows most gay parents have straight children in a similar fashion have produced gay children. The health of marriage that is determined by many religions between a man & woman in most country is in shambles & that has NOTHING to do with same sex marriage. MARRIAGE EQUALITY LOBBY spent billions with Catholic & Mormon Churchess saying regular marriage would be destroyed....th world is waiting!

Hassan | 9 years ago | Reply RIP freedom of speech. Hamza Abbasi can`t criticize the gay marriages however author can criticize whoever she/he wants. #doubleStandards

VIEW MORE COMMENTS

Zeta | 9 years ago | Reply @Zaida: "I truly believe that gays are born that way and it is not a choice they make", Really...?? Going by your comment, that time is not far away when someone will say that "Pedophiles are born that way and it is not a choice they make" OR to make it more general "Criminals are born that way and it is not a choice they make" The point I want to make is, no one is born to do the wrong. If someone or a group of people do the wrong, it doesn't mean they are born to do so. Every human has got brain to think and choose between right and wrong. In my opinion, being gay is not a physical disability like being blind by birth. And, even if someone is born with a disability, it doesn't mean that he/she should remain a disabled person all his/her life. Every disability has got its treatment and I think this is a kind of mental disability/disorder, which can be treated easily if it is recognized as one.

Unknown | 9 years ago | Reply @ShamelessPakistanis: How can you westernized while homosexuality existed in your own backyard. Go to Multan , to Peshawar or anywhere u like you will find homosexuals. Open your eyes we are not shameless we show you the real face of the society. That not at all means that we like it or promote it. But accept it that it exists.

Zaida | 9 years ago | Reply I truly believe that gays are born that way and it is not a choice they make. The least the rest can do is keep our hate to ourselves. Mr.Abbasi has showed that compassion and tolerance are not his strong suit. I hope in my heart that at least one of his children grows up to be differently orientated and only then I would like to learn his views on the subject. Until that time, he must give his keyboard a rest on this topic.

MASOOM | 9 years ago | Reply "NAYA PAKSITAN "

Harris | 9 years ago | Reply Dear Express Tribune, I am torn on whether to comment on the fact that a celebrity's Facebook statuses count as news coverage for your website now, or whether you employ actual workers who sit in your offices monitoring these things instead of the actual issues in our country... Or maybe I should instead point out the fact that you are using your professional (if you can even call it that at this point) blog as a platform for partaking in a Twitter spat between two rich people. It is saddening to see you hold such a following and influence, yet squander it on inane babble that I am sure not even the most oblivious of buffoons behind your keyboards fully believe themselves. Yes this will draw a lot of page views and clicks and comments... but is that really worth it? You've gone from a recognizable brand to a sad entity that is neither credible nor reputed anymore. I pray you people find your way, as do your beguiled pseudo-liberal readers who probably haven't spent enough time outside in the real world yet.

sani | 9 years ago | Reply Humanity has lost again, those who are supporting this, please wait, before Pedophiles comes out tomorrow with their rights. I am sure our pseudo intellectuals will be supporting that as well. I have just one statement for people supporting this, If the bill would have passed in your nation a generation back, you would have not been present to comment.

Ali | 9 years ago | Reply Few things: People like Paracha saying why are we worried about country 1000 miles away, please don't be a hypocrite as likes of you never miss an opportunity to criticise decisions made in Saudi Arabia (quite often for right reasons) and other countries for that matter? Hamza - Needs to take a chill pill and not act like a superman, no point highlighting a useless issue that has no importance for an average Pakistani. Imaan - Just because you don't agree with most Islamic rules & values doesn't mean you dictate your views to others. Don't forget while celebrating "gay marriage" her tweet said , let's legalise marijuana next? REALLY?? Also Imaan's hypocrisy is amazing, considers her gay marriage celebration and legalising marijuana as freedom of speech but Hamza's views about gay marriage is 'HATE SPEECH"??

Anu | 9 years ago | Reply He serious needs to calm down, its not about supporting gay or lesbian marriges. It is about standing up for what you believe in, human rights, which we are so called 'born with.' It was a huge achievement because people stood up for what they believed in which we dont see happening in our country. They have been fighting for years just so that their government could hear them out. I do not support gay marriges but I do support human rights. He really needs to put his typical gaown wali think behind himself and understand that they showed people fighting for your rights is the only way to get them!

Haroon | 9 years ago | Reply Express tribune had become a cheap tabloid of this passes for news these days

ZN | 9 years ago | Reply @NajNajeebullah: Abu, is that you?????

Amy | 9 years ago | Reply As a muslim nation we should NOT celebrate gay marriages.

Sana | 9 years ago | Reply Its not Hamza, its our news media who turns Social Media into a war all the time.. I stand with Hamza. Why you are so much obsessed with this guy? if you have the right to speak then who everyone has the equal right to speak out. Internet is not only for ET or Dawn, its for everyone...peace :)

masoon | 9 years ago | Reply The gay marriahe supporter should vote for PTI to get legalization !

Karima Santosh | 9 years ago | Reply The most conservative court in America has allowed same-sex to be legal in all of states in America. America is not a country that is ruled or makes laws by any religious laws. But to see the pious, judgmental so called Islamic religious commentators be shocked and take sides on this issue is hilarious. Pakistan is a country where the laws of the land are based on religion look at the violence of terror Shia versus Sunni the blatant corruption, the treatment of women the war on the poor yet the morality police like Hamza are perched on their pulpit of judgement where are they on these issues is this a publicity stunt for him to revive his failing career?

Sami | 9 years ago | Reply I'm Pakistani and I live in United States of America. I can tell you the liberal open minded Americans who support gay marriage also support equal rights for Muslims and oppose islamophobia while the Americans who oppose gay marriage and hate gay people also hate Muslims and are the most islamophobic. If this Hamza Ali Abbasi came to US and met the Americans who share his views on gay marriage they would also not welcome him because he's a Pakistani Muslim while the liberal Americans who support gay marriage would welcome him in US with open arms.

hammurabi | 9 years ago | Reply certain percentage of people are born wit th harmones of homosexuality.They can never become straight.Nature always create variety. Some animal species also have homosexual tendendencies such as panguines.Religious examples given in the comments are irrelevant as there are different view points in religious beliefs.Homosexuality caused by segregation of sexes can be controlled by social measures.

sensible | 9 years ago | Reply wonder why so much fuss about something that doesn't concern you and didn't apply in your country. Pak so-called liberals thinks that they need to endorse and accept anything that comes form west.

kashifnaseer | 9 years ago | Reply So what wrong he actually did? If any buddy has right to celebrate gay marriages law, why Hamza has no right to criticize it? Our so called liberals should learn tolerance and respect the views of other.

ShamelessPakistanis | 9 years ago | Reply @Tauseef: Westernized/Indianized inferioirty complexed PAKISTANIS.

Ali S | 9 years ago | Reply @Ahmed: And that punishment is up to Allah SWT, not you or this two-bit actor who has to give his worthless opinion on everything, so calm down and stop getting worked up over the law of a non-Muslim country. Your energies would be better spent ostracizing monsters like ISIS who are a more imminent threat to Islam than people you consider deviant marrying in a faraway non-Muslim land.

Hamza | 9 years ago | Reply I support you Hamza Ali Abbassi

Tauseef | 9 years ago | Reply Why are so many Pakistanis on social media talking about US Court Ruling? The Law is passed in the U.S. of A. NOT Pakistan. I wish someone in Pakistan should tell these pretentious celebs that use your fame for betterment of your country. do something for education, Health service & just basic need of the people. SHUT YOUR MOUNTH HAMZA ABBASI.....

Minto | 9 years ago | Reply Ah, can't see Hamza spreading hatred Imaan. But you sure got publicity (really didn't know about you before this). As they say, any publicity is good publicity. Kadm barhai Hamza Ali Abassi, hum tumare saath hain!

awais | 9 years ago | Reply Either way, our entertainment industry is full of stupid people. Same goes for political parties and media. H: If you are not supporting something, that doesn't mean you should start an endless discussion on social media I: And Islam was the same 1400 years ago and in 21st century.

mjk | 9 years ago | Reply I STAND WITH HAMZA ALI ABBASI. I can tolerate gay people, but I WILL NOT tolerate homosexuality being forcibly shoved into my kids brains via text books, media. Rainbow supporters do not realize the repercussions of SCOTUS's decision upon the billions of straight people worldwide and how it's going to ruin the course of nature. It's not religion, it's science. Just because you people gave into TEMPTATION and now fooling the world by saying 'we were born this way' doesn't mean you ruin our lives/future so you can have a good time in bed. You were already having a ball, but now, you've forever ruined our(parents) night sleep. As if parenting wasn't already hard enough.

Syed Ali | 9 years ago | Reply Tribune what happened with you? what kind of news you are publishing. I use to live in Europe and i didn't hear such noise on this matter in last 24 hours. I have alot of Italian friends in group, no one write me anything about it. If someone supporting they are just supporting with silence not shouting or splitting words on social media. We have really serious issues in our country. For the people those are passionate about this new law and living in Pakistan they are just simply stupid. we lost 3K people in 3 days in a single city and distributing KAFAN as free to burry the body of their love ones. How humanity and love is cheap there? why don't we shout for that? we shout what 3% people follow. lol. who is sleeping or better to say blind folded? They both get extra excited on the news but Iman H Mazir took it real serious. To ban someone on a news that is not a real problem of your country, its stupid and Mr. Hamza need to take it unnecessary. For me every person those have a Rainbow picture promoting Hum tv. ;)

Jnzeb | 9 years ago | Reply Just a simple question.. If you expect conservative people to be tolerant of the point of view of liberals, then why cant you liberals be tolerant of the point of view of conservationists?

Hasan Askari | 9 years ago | Reply Another news on Sambha? ET is a respected news outlet. It should refrain from giving attention to this nobody.

Shah(Berlin) | 9 years ago | Reply one thing i will never understand....lets leave the guy topic aside. But you cannot discuss with liberals..!!! Their freedom is limited to their circle so basically you are not supporting freedom of speech but you are not ready to argue with others....and again Imaan proved it ..

Lolz | 9 years ago | Reply simply CRAP!

waqas | 9 years ago | Reply both these idiots are out of their places!

NajNajeebullah | 9 years ago | Reply He's a clueless hypocritical attention seeker.

Nouman | 9 years ago | Reply Out of 200 facebook friends I saw only 1 profile pic with this rainbow effect and it was an American friend of mine.. So many locals wouldn't have a clue about all this nonsense if our media / celebrities didn't bother to put their opinion as their official status..

Aamir - Toronto | 9 years ago | Reply What s the point of this futile argument !!!! Don't we have enough problems in Pakistan.

Stranger | 9 years ago | Reply This Hamza chap sure knows how to stay in news..

Ahmed | 9 years ago | Reply Indeed, those who like that immorality[Al-fahsha] should be spread [or publicized] among those who have believed will have a painful punishment in this world and the Hereafter. And Allah knows and you do not know.[24:19]

TALHA | 9 years ago | Reply seems we are heading towards a collision for nothing. Stay in your country and lets love the way we live. Social media is developing irrelevant people on news, their blunders make them successful for the nation who still need clear water, education, medicine and food for life. These culprits should not be allowed to take parts in our daily life agendas.

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