Sahar Hashmi calls out double standards over delayed payments in showbiz

Actor Sahar Hashmi has drawn attention to delayed payments in the entertainment industry, highlighting what she sees as a double standard in how professionalism is judged.

Hashmi shared an Instagram Story featuring a post that contrasted the expectations placed on artists to meet deadlines with the delays they may face when waiting for their payments.

"If work is delayed by one day, it is unprofessional. If payment is delayed by 30 days, then there is a delay because of acount processing", the post read.

The post highlighted how even a one-day delay in delivering work can be labelled unprofessional, while payments held up for 30 days are often attributed to the accounts department still processing them.

"Professionalism goes both ways," the post added. She did not name any individuals or production houses in her post.

Delayed remuneration has been a recurring concern for performers and other professionals in the entertainment industry, where timely payments are essential to maintaining trust between artists and production teams.

Hashmi is not the only figure in Pakistan's entertainment industry to speak out about the issue. Filmmaker Mehreen Jabbar and actors Romaisa Khan, Ahmed Ali Butt, Nadia Afgan, Mohammed Ahmed and Haroon Shahid, among others, have also raised concerns about delayed payments.

Hashmi made her acting debut in the television drama Zulm and has since appeared in projects including Ishq Hua, Shadi Card and Mann Mast Malang. She gained further recognition for her performance as Bano in Zanjeerain. She has continued to build her profile through television dramas, including Shaidai.