I was admitted at rehabilitation centre by force: Roohi Bano

Former actor claims family forcing her to stay at rehab facility so they can occupy her property

LAHORE: Told time and again, former actor Roohi Bano’s story is full of unexpected turns. From failed marriages to witnessing the death of her only son, being diagnosed with schizophrenia and having to leaving behind her career to lead the life of an empty shell at a mental health rehabilitation institute — Roohi has seen it all. In a recently held media conference at Lahore Press Club, she levelled allegations against her own family, saying that she now fears losing her property.

The former television star said that “certain people” are trying to illegally occupy her property in Karachi’s Gulistan-e-Jauhar area. “Someone stole the official allotment letter from my house after which I lodged a complaint at the police station but to no avail. I humbly request Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to grant me justice.”

She stated that despite her improving health, she was brought in by force and admitted at Fountain House rehabilitation centre by her sister. She added that this was done in order to keep the coast clear for her relatives as they attempted to illegally occupy her all her property.



Roohi said she has been requesting the centre’s administration to allow her to leave. As per the policy of the institution, a patient cannot be discharged unless the individual that brought her/him in allows it which in this case is her sister Rubina Begum.

Fountain House officials confirmed that the former actor was only allowed to leave for a couple of days, and will be returning to the facility soon. “She was discharged for two days as we allow patients some time to stay with their family members. However it was not in our knowledge that she was planning to hold a media conference,” said Fountain House Public Relations Officer Lubna Babar. Medical officers at the facility are not in favour of Roohi leaving the premises. “It is not good for a mentally-ill person to engage in such issues. She needs a relaxed, peaceful environment, and it is not right that her temporary discharge was used for addressing property issues,” said another official requesting anonymity.

When approached, Rubina rejected the accusations, saying, “At the end of the day, she is an actor and she’s gifted with the talent of pretending. Pretending that she is unwell, pretending that we’re after her property. We care for her and that’s why we have kept her at the Fountain House. Someone tried to murder her last year and I don’t want that to happen again,” she said.

It is pertinent to mention that Roohi was injured in an alleged murder attempt last year which too was linked to another dispute over a property in Gulberg, Lahore.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 12^th, 2016.

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