Renowned Pakistani television actress Faryal Gohar has made painful revelations about her first marriage to prominent actor Jamal Shah. The couple remained married for nine years before their relationship eventually ended.
During a recent appearance on a morning show, Faryal Gohar spoke openly about what she described as one of the darkest and most difficult periods of her life, highlighting issues including domestic violence and societal pressure.
Faryal said she was only 23 years old when she got married and that it was a marriage of her own choice. She said her family had no major objections to the relationship because her husband belonged to a Syed family.
However, she said the situation later deteriorated to the point where her family questioned whether her husband really belonged to a Syed family because, according to her, he would physically assault her. She said she endured the situation because it was a love marriage, adding that “love is truly blind.”
The actress said it was extremely difficult to put into words the abuse she allegedly suffered after her marriage.
“I was beaten with leather belts, and the violence was so severe that I suffered multiple pregnancy losses. The beatings also caused severe pain in my kidneys, which eventually led to surgeries,” she said.
She further revealed that she sometimes had to stop attending her classes because of bruises on her face and serious injuries. She also had to conceal marks on her body caused by the alleged abuse.
According to Faryal, the most painful aspect was not limited to physical violence but also the social and traditional restrictions imposed on her.
She said she was not allowed to leave the house and could not even go out for a walk. Whenever she had to travel somewhere, she was reportedly made to sit inside a rickshaw behind a covering, with the vehicle completely concealed so that no one could see her.
During the programme, Faryal also spoke about what she described as a harsh social reality, claiming that 80 per cent of women in Pakistan face domestic violence in married life. She said the issue is not restricted to women from ordinary backgrounds, as educated and independent women can also experience such abuse, describing herself as a personal example.
Offering advice to women, the actress said they should understand that they deserve a life free from humiliation and mistreatment and that it is important to find a way out of abusive circumstances.
She concluded by stressing the need to properly educate and raise boys and men so that they learn to respect women.
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