According to a visibly upset Maya Khan, all the people that she had questioned during her morning show’s infamous episode on dating couples were paid actors.
Speaking on the show Frontline, hosted by Kamran Shahid, Maya claimed that the entire episode was scripted. “The idea was to highlight the issue of ‘unethical activities’ that are taking place in our parks,” Maya said.
When questioned why she conducted such a programme, Maya defended herself, saying she had received numerous complaints from worried parents who were concerned about such ‘immoral activities’.
While criticising the media and civil society for ganging up against her, Maya said she was never given a chance to present her side of the story.
“What was the rest of the media trying to achieve by repeatedly airing clips of my show? Where were the media ethics when people showed my wedding pictures ... and did shows pointing fingers at my character?” Maya questioned.
Calling herself a popular morning show host, Maya asked, “Is there no difference between a sin and a mistake?”
“I have been under house arrest ever since the media outcry against my show started. I am abused through phone calls, text messages and via Facebook,” she complained.
Maya’s husband Waseem Molani, while speaking on the show via telephone, said that he had always advised Maya to move to the US, but she refused to do so because “she wanted to stay in Pakistan and help her people.”
Maya also invited two of the purportedly paid actors in her programme to the Frontline show. She further provided Shahid with a DVD with recorded statements from the female actors. However, these actors wore veils.
Frontline host Shahid accused her of misleading and “bluffing her audience” and asked her to render an unconditional apology to her viewers and the people of Pakistan. Maya said “leaving aside what I did was wrong or not, I ask for forgiveness from my fans: I am really, very, very sorry.”
Published in The Express Tribune, February 28th, 2012.
COMMENTS (56)
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Two wrongs don't make a right, First she violated the basic right to privacy, then she admits to deceiving public - she has ZERO journalistic integrity! A liar should not be touting morals to others anyways!
guys move on...we have OSCAR now lets celebrate this.....forget MAYA now
Now, there is a big question on the authenticity of all news by SAMA. SAMA Tv should also clarify. otherwise they will loose their viewership.
Bu I like the way maya ran steaming around the Park. She was huffing & puffing, which made a good vid & funny.
@ bigsaf i guess you dont watch pakistan tv where almost every anchor run after public to ask there opinion and people run and hide from camera .. i have seen this several times on almost all the channels .. but no invasion of privacy there.. and are you trying to say that its immoral if people are watching but if no one is watching what ever wrong you do is right ? i certainly think most of us have poked nose in to others business it does not matter if one person was watching or 100 were watching .. if you consider something wrong then it is wrong even if nobody is there to see you ,, practice what you preech ..
Maya has done nothing wrong, at least nothing to be so extensively vilified for. Ok, so her program highligted an aspect of Pakistani society. Well I guess most of those that feel outraged would be those that felt they had something to hide. After all, if they don't, then what is the issue.
The problem with so many Pakistani's is that they will very easily pick on a woman and just as easily raise issues that are of absolute no consequence. But on issues of substance, on issues that really matter to the nation, the people and even themselves, they will not say a word.
Typical Pakistani's. No wonder the country is in such a mess.
@paki:
Not with an organized camera crew on national TV. In fact, I don't think many of us unethically, immorally poke, lie and record into strangers' businesses with whom he/she is with, morally lecturing them or posting it for all to see their humiliation. Maybe hypocritical Mullahs and uncles and aunties...
@ majaid bhatti if a legal action would be taken against her then each and everyone of us should be prosecuted too because each and everyone of us here have poked nose into somebody else's private business at any point of our life .. havent you sir ? actually look closely you are poking nose in someone's else business right now
I through out saw this program and declare here not guilty. Why, because she brought two witness who were paid artists. Mr. Kamran Shahid should not have forced her to tender any apology because this was Awareness Program which anchor persons highlight daily in their various talk shows. KS was too harsh and even misbehaved with her. It is true that most parks and seaside areas are lighted with these young lovers and all know this.
I think the civil society should proceed with taking legal action against her for invasion of privacy.
If a human do a Sin/Offence intentionally or unintentionally and then He/She request apology from the Almighty Allah. Allah, the most merciful, forgive him/her for the sin He/She did. Maya Khan is also a human, whatever she do wrong or right?
If Almighty Allah apologise a human for their sins then, how a man can't forgive someone. A saying "INSAN GHALTIYON KA PUTLA HAY". Therefore I request the Nation to forgive her and we would like to see Maya Khan on screen again.
Maya Khan is a human being and even if unintentionally she has hurt the viewers, she has apologised and she has suffered more than her fans have,her family and personal life has been exploited so she should be given a second chance because she hasnt done such a big deal plus she has proved herself with evidences that it was all a staged drama to bring forward a topic prevailing in the society. I totally support maya khan for her apologies. Nobody can be judged like this or put to trial. We should also look into the shows she has done for the people of Pakistan. Nobody has anything to say about that?? Most of the people who are talking rubbish about her should check themselves too. Nobody praised her for the work she has done in her show. It's easy to comment on others but hard to give a reality check on yourself. Love you Maya and would love to see you on screen again.
u r 2 gud maya khan keep it up inshallah u passed my all prayers 4 u
I dun believe that they were paid actors, but i accept her apology. simple and we should move on.
i watched ur programs daily bt now i am so upset about ur preasent situation bt i hope u acihive ur goal god bless u my sweet heart in the world so many peoples like u n ur action against raid or any action
@aisha: YES u are right
There is more to life than Dirty politics and Maya Khan....Media Let us LIVE!!!!
i think your channel so week not support u. just use u and ur acation not good.if u r right so acation against channel .because all drama responsible channel .i like u and prayer 4/ u
well it was a drama by both of them and the rest of the fake actors who sat beside her looked fake too... if they are so damn gud why dont they ask for more money/ 2000Rupees for such as outstanding real act! HATS OFF!
For God's Sake,Leave Maya Alone....She got Punished for what she did Now Leave her alone..Her life is about to ruin now
Listen to the hubby, move to the US
we dont need moral police like Maya khan to say what is right and what is wrong , please move back to the US maya khan. We hate you forever.
Absolutely no sympathy for her and the fact that she offered a 'qualified' apology just goes on to show that it is mere lip service. What a waste of time and space.
Maya Khan , Meera , Rehman Malik ,Kamran Akmal(Keeper) Zahid Hamid Altaf Bhai nawab aslam khan raisani Now you have the cast lets make a Film. Director -------------------------Any one with loads of Dirty Money
Performance...... Excellent! An Oscar maybe!!!!Apology........ Very very Doubtful. Leave us alone plz!!!! Spare us oh Drama Queen!!!!
please people move on .. the new victim i see today on social website is misbah ul haq ..lets focus our attention on him for a while .. meanwhile i am pretty sure someone else like sahir lodhi shaista wahedi mathira etc etc will do something .. then we all can focus on him or her .. after all this is all we do ..ahh we are such a busy nation
I don
t think that there is anything further to be said about Maya Khan. She got what she deserved, though i think that now people are going too far to insult her.. Just let the lady be. What angered me most, how ever, was the unobjective, and overall biased, attitude of the express show host, Shahid or what ever his name is. I have never seen or heard a more unprofessional person. Media people should be totally objective, and not try to enforce their own opinions. Express should choose a better variety of anchors to host their shows. If this trend of promoting mere sensationalism continues at express, im afraid well have another maya on our hands.This time it was a drama staged by Mr. Kamran Shahid though he did not prove to be a good actor. Anyway, it was a pathetic scene to see Maya Khan in tears. Enough is enough now. I think she should restart as she has been a very popular & favorite anchor of a large number of viewers.
ok
"leaving aside what I did was wrong or not,......"?? well I can't call this an apology, can you?
The reason why Maya will not go to the US is because people there dont stand for BS like this. It is only our stupid awam that bears stupidity and still watches these types of programs.
I feel like doing ludi, lets do ludi with me
Realistically speaking, she should be forgiven. When a person feel remorse on his/her act then it’s imperative for others to accept the apology. We don’t have label or a clean chit of noble character on our bodies too! So be COOL.
If all was concocted, why she remained silent for so many weeks? Why she failed to conceive this idea in Moeed Peerzada's show? Bravo Kamran Shahid, you did a great job for your master by defending Maya. By the way, when is she joining your team?
@Syed: stupid comment,i watched the programme
Lame! just making excuses.
Drama per Drama
All Drama, crocodile tears....
the way Maya khan defended herself was highly satisfactory. She was right that all this was APPROVED. She didn't do it alone and the channel authorities were with her. The paid actor also said that he works for similar activities for OTHER channels as well. Maya admitted she raises real life issues with paid actors in almost all her shows.
If she is blamed, so should every other channel and the relevant authority should be blamed too
Yes and all her other programs were also scripted just to gain media popularity.
Lol why it took so long for her to disclose that the people in the episode were paid actors, if its true so it means media fabricates story and its all false happening everywhere...
Maya said “leaving aside what I did was wrong or not, I ask for forgiveness from my fans: I am really, very, very sorry.”
THAT is NOT an apology :D
she should listen to her Husband to move to USA, along with Mr. Husband.
I have absolutely no sympathy for her
So, Express TV is hiring Maya Khan ???
She apologized by saying "“leaving aside what I did was wrong or not..." How is that even an apology? GAWD!
Drama to reborn her lost career..
Somehow i felt this show was scripted too. But nevertheless i feel she got enough of a lesson and we need to move on now.
Just a drama staged by Express and Maya to get her on board for morning shows on one of express TV channel. I have very serious doubts on Maya new claims of those couples being just fictitious models. I smell another great lie by this lady.
A qualified apology just won't do! I think she causes people to hate her more simply because she is too full of herself to just cut the nonsense and apologize!
i feel sorry for her