Singer Ali Noor called out for sexual harassment
Noori frontman refused to speak to the publication but addressed the accusations on social media
KARACHI:
On Friday afternoon, journalist Ayesha Binte Rashid, shared screenshots of an alleged and shocking conversation she had with renowned singer Ali Noor, in which she called him out for "predatory behaviour" and "sexual harassment".
The screenshots saw Noor apparently reach out to Ayesha from his wife’s WhatsApp after being blocked by her on the app. In his messages, he thanked her for the “wake up call”, urging her to “forgive herself, first” and then “others around” her. When reached out for an explanation, the singer refused to give a statement but shared the "complete" version of his conversation with the journalist and allowed for it to be made public.
Noor claimed that he had sent a few messages in response to Ayesha's initial message but she “did not mention them” in her post. In these messages, shared exclusively with The Express Tribune, Noor admitted to being her "gunehgar" and told her he hates himself. It is pertinent to mention here that The Express Tribune could not independently verify the authenticity of the conversations shared by both Ayesha and Noor. Ayesha had refused to make any further comments on the story, but gave The Express Tribune the consent to publish her posts, which are available on her public Instagram.
Rashid’s messages
From the screenshots shared by Ayesha, some of which have been transcribed for context, she could be seen telling Noor that she is only messaging him after due deliberation. “You emotionally manipulated me and what happened in the back of my car while driving to the airport was sexual harassment. You’re a sexual harasser and a predator,” she said to him, adding that she does not wish to publicly come forward with the accusations because of her respect for Noor’s brother, Ali Hamza, as well as drummer Kami Paul, who has been associated with the band Noori.
The journalist also called out Noor for threatening to jeopardize her friendship with Paul, despite which, she came clean about the incident to the drummer and then ended her friendship with him because she had “no interest in having people in her life who fraternise with harassers.” Referring to Noor as a womaniser, Ayesha continued, “[You have a] God complex who is all talk yet doesn’t have the proactiveness to break out of his own toxic patterns.”
Noor’s ‘missing’ messages
Noor forwarded a document to The Express Tribune, containing the messages he allegedly sent in response to Ayesha's initial message. The messages read: “Oh man I am completely devastated. I am hating myself; you are absolutely right and sometimes one needs a mirror to see. I couldn't agree more. I swear as I read this I don't want to live. I am truly your culprit and I am willing to pay any punishment.”
He added, "All I can say is that my life has taken a turn that I never could imagine and your message is truly a sign from God for me to see my truth. And yes, I am paying a very very hefty price for my ego, my God complex... I have never been this miserable and yes you are right my inability to change myself is dawning as true reality. You also know that I am not a sexual predator but clearly this direction of the life of mine could turn me into that and worse and My God I am so scared. Your message is the hardest hit I have ever had in my... I've truly lost my innocence and I will have to read it for the rest of my life and live with it, what have I done? All I can say is, Ayesha, I am truly your gunehgaar. You are definitely one of the most sincere, real and genuine people I know. You know the truth is I had completely blocked this from my mind ...which only goes to show how f***** up I am... You're innocence and honesty were the most adorable thing on the trip and man what the fuck did I do. I am taking full responsibility, both publicly and privately. Whatever your decision for punishment is, I will not dare to talk of my good or not so bad intentions here but if you check with your heart you might find some space for my folly, I have to make this right. Tell the whole world to get me arrested, hanged, but please don't hate me.”
Noor takes to Instagram
Hours after refusing to comment on the matter, Noor posted a note on his Instagram Stories to address the screenshots shared by Ayesha and the aftermath publicly. “Today, I put the teaser and release date of the video and the song but as I was doing that, I got a message from newspapers that I have been accused of #MeToo by Ayesha Binte and my screenshots and apologies have been put up. She didn't put all of them and that's sad. I even suggested I should be hanged and executed publicly. She simply wasn't taking me seriously. Anyway, I am so glad she finally put it out.”
He went on to add: “Finally my boredom is going to end and I might even become more famous. But you know what I never gave a f*** about fame. For now, I want to tell you how I felt after my last letter to you. I have felt that I don't need therapists or anyone but myself to find my solace. You know I am no predator and don't do things like #MeToo.”
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When the court of public opinion began passing its verdict against him, the singer made matters worse by urging his followers and the media to let him release his then, upcoming song, Mein Ne Chorh Diya “in peace” on February 22. He said it is “the most painful song and video I’ve done in my life and it means a lot to me.” Noor also assured he would address everyone’s “concerns and quarrels on the 25th.” The singer was criticised by netizens for going “on a long rant, accepting he is a harasser but everyone should focus on his new single.”
A woman accuses a man (any man) of harassment.
— T a z e e n تزئین (@tazeen) February 18, 2022
All other men: where is the proof? #AliNoor: went on a long rant accepting that he is a harasser but everyone should focus on his new single right now.
All other men still: where is the proof! #MeToo pic.twitter.com/hap2yJUWZh
Ali Noor struggling to fit sexual abuse allegations in his busy schedule. Please let him release his song in peace guys he will get to you when he has the time. pic.twitter.com/aZ2NTAibY4
— اسریٰ (@freakonomist5) February 18, 2022
Noor's public apology
In the caption of her initial post featuring the screenshots, Ayesha had called out Noor's “nonsense apology”. And after that post was deleted, Ayesha shared a screenshot of Noor’s apparent DM to her, in which he had tagged her in the teaser post of Mein Ne Chorh Diya. That post has been taken down, too. But underneath the shared screenshot of the DM, Ayesha had written, “Apparently being called out for a nonsense apology leads to more nonsense apologies.”
Thus, on Saturday morning, after deleting his previous and above-mentioned note, which drew flak on social media, Noor issued a public apology tagging Ayesha for clarity. He wrote, “Dear @balancingbinte [Ayesha Binte Rashid], after deeply deliberating various responses, I came to the conclusion that the only right response is that I am truly, deeply sorry. I cannot fathom your pain and only apologize once again.” He went on to assert that he is “not an ill-intentioned person” and is still a “work in progress,” – something he had said in his alleged response to Ayesha in the conversation shared by her as well. “I hope that you can find some relief in my apology. Baaki Allah Maalik (the rest I leave to God).” Ayesha, however, refused to accept his apology in an Instagram Story.
Noor ‘denies all allegations’
On Monday morning, Noor shared a cryptic post featuring his tombstone to write, “Absolutely not sorry.” The singer then said he never admitted to being a harasser and denied all “allegations of sexual harassment” levelled against him. Noor's latest statement regarding the matter reads: “Ayesha Binte, I am done being concerned about you. I sent you an apology by putting my entire life on stake and you have the audacity to not accept my heartfelt words. I deny all allegations of sexual harassment against me and I never admitted to them to start with. I was already not in a good place. Now I am gathering the courage to move on to the next world. I have absolutely no guilt. I hope you finally find solace and an answer for my children.” Noor completed his note with the hashtag #stopmockeryofmetoo.
Noor releases ‘Mein Ne Chorh Dia’
On Tuesday, Noor finally released the track he had been dropping teasers for over the past couple of days. The Noori frontman, in an open letter to his ‘Nano’ on February 14, had said: “I am sharing with you my first God gifted lyrics in almost 18 years. I like the song but the video is really intense and its true, unfortunately. PS, main ne waqai chorr diya hai Nano.”
The song, however, isn’t as intense as Noor made it out to be. Perhaps because the intensity of his introspection got lost in the execution. The clip sees him wake up, make a cup of tea, roll a joint and smoke it in despair. It is not clear, from the song, what Noor has had to let go off but he does refer to “all the ones he loved and lost.” The video sees him cry a little, too, as he spends time wondering what all he is left with now. He then puts on his jacket rather aggressively and leaves. Mein Ne Chorh Diya offers nothing new to Noor’s catalogue musically either, and it certainly offers little clarity about the events he is mourning.
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