I was blackmailed for a year: Faysal Quraishi

Actor talks reasons behind hit-and-run incidents in Pakistan

In a recent podcast episode, actor Faysal Quraishi brought a sobering issue into the spotlight. During the episode, hosted with guest Faryal Mahmood, Faysal shared his deeply personal experience with road traffic accidents and the blackmail that followed, offering a revealing look into a pervasive problem in Pakistan.

Faysal's comments underscore a troubling trend in the country's approach to road traffic incidents. "We have lots of road traffic accidents here, particularly those we label as fatal," Faysal explained. "If someone is run over by a car or motorbike, it's all too common for people to leave the scene and flee."

"Elsewhere in the world, if you're involved in such an accident, you're expected to take the injured person to the hospital. You undergo two critical tests: one to check if you were under the influence of alcohol and another to verify your driving license. The police then assess the situation, and you find out whether you're at fault or not," he added.

Faysal's own ordeal paints a stark picture of why many drivers choose to evade responsibility. "I was blackmailed for an entire year," he revealed. "Despite everything being clear, I found myself trapped in this situation for twelve months." His experience, he believes, is emblematic of a broader issue: the fear of legal complications and extortion often drives individuals to avoid involvement in accidents. "People know that if they get involved, things could spiral out of control," he added. "So, they either flee or set up someone else to take the blame."

Earlier this year, the actor made headlines for a rumoured feud with mother and actor Afshan Quraishi. The latter had purportedly expressed regret over not praying for her son to be a good person in addition to being a successful actor. Her comments, however, were taken out of context and misinterpreted by social media users.

As per Faysal, people on social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube twisted his mother's words to create unnecessary drama. He criticised the tendency of social media users to focus on negative aspects rather than positive ones. "If I speak generally about social media, be it YouTube or Instagram, people need clicks. They need clicks, likes, and traffic. Anything positive is far less likely to garner such attention. People are more attracted to negative things."

Despite the unwarranted buzz, Faysal advised his mother not to issue any clarification. However, Afshan felt compelled to clarify her statement, which had gone viral after being edited and circulated on social media. She explained that her comments about praying for her son's success were misunderstood.