Aaminah Haq refuses to stoop as low as her bullies

C'est la vie, and who would know that better than Aaminah Haq, who has yet again proved her grace in the face of Amna Ilyas’ apology.

The former supermodel recently responded to fans asking what she had to say about Ilyas’ recent video. During a Q&A on her Instagram stories on Sunday, when a social media user inquired about her response towards the catty comments made by Ilyas, Haq wrote, “We are all entitled to our opinions and that’s all one can say. The last time I met/interacted with her was almost a decade ago in Lahore. We haven’t communicated since and I hope she is well and living her best life.”

Following this, another user admired Haq’s positivity, despite the continual trolling she faces. To this, she said, “Like everyone else, I have made many mistakes and occasionally hurt people in my life.”

She then reiterated what Ilyas had said in a rather calmer tone. “I am trying to change those patterns and be a nicer version of myself.” Haq also relayed why it was important for her to not troll anyone in return. “I cry when things get me down too, which is why it’s important not to troll people for their views as bringing someone pain isn’t the right thing to do. I am sorry for all the times I hurt someone I know or don’t know.”

A user questioned Haq if she’d want to see any change in the cotemporary fashion scene of Pakistan. She said, “I would like to see more transparency, kindness and social responsibility.” It is unclear if she was referring to Ilyas or not but she went on to recall similar events from her past without naming or shaming anyone. “I was mercilessly bullied and shamed to a point that I was depressed for decades. That should not happen again,” Haq asserted.

An odd query then reared its head. “Who was the worst Pakistani actress you met? How was Meera?” In response to this, Haq said, “I was a terrible actress so that title is all mine. Meera jee was always lovely to me so I’ve got nothing but love for her.”

The following question prompted Haq to recall her impact on Pakistan’s fashion scene. “I hope I made it easier for women to hold their ground,” she confessed. “Walk to the beat of their own drum without apologising for who they are, physically or emotionally."

The prologue

A clip of model-cum-actors Ilyas and Sadaf Kanwal from a two-year-old episode of Hassan Sheheryar Yasin's (HSY’s) talk show started circulating on social media earlier this month. The viral snippet showed Sadaf and Ilyas engaged in a harmless game of guessing celebrities. But when asked about Haq, Ilyas highlighted her weight gain in a rather disrespectful manner, leaving HSY shaken. To top it off, the two models then high-fived each other over.

After the clip evoked quite a controversy on social media, Haq took to Instagram to address it. This prompted another video from the Baaji actor, who narrated instances from her childhood to reveal that body-shaming wasn’t the only thing she was guilty of. The starlet recalled how she had mocked her differently-abled cook as a six-year-old, refused to love her cousin’s newborn daughter for her ‘bland features’ as a 12-year-old and mimicked her school teacher for his speech impairment as a 15-year-old.

Ilyas asserted that the person who did all those things – including body shame Haq – was not who she is anymore.

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