Model Sunita Marshall has expressed her gratitude for the overwhelming support she received from her followers while appealing for an end to the harassment targetted at YouTuber Nadir Ali. With grace and poise, Sunita also called on the interviewing fraternity to exercise sensitivity and refrain from delving into personal matters during future interactions.
Sunita was lauded for gracefully handling a series of invasive questioning, including but not limited to questions about her faith, reasons for her choice to not convert, questions about her children’s beliefs and whether or not she would ever convert to Islam.
The incident ignited a broader conversation about the boundaries and ethics of journalism, as public figures continue to face invasive questions that encroach upon their privacy and personal beliefs. Sunita’s response highlights the need for respect, professionalism, and a more conscientious approach when conducting interviews.
Taking to her Instagram on Wednesday amid the backlash Nadir has been receiving, the model shared a photo of herself to write, “I would like to thank you all for supporting me. I will also request all of you, to kindly not harass the interviewer anymore.” She continued in the caption, “Also I would ask the interviewing fraternity not to ask such personal questions again in the future.”
Sunita, a Christian married to actor Hassan Ahmed, maintained that she has no plans to convert whatsoever, and there is no such pressure on her either. She also held that it is best if the person converting is doing so wholeheartedly, instead of succumbing to some external pressure.
Fellow celebrities like Anoushey Ashraf and Nadia Afgan went on to slam the YouTuber for putting Sunita in a “tough position” that could potentially “threaten her life.” Social media users also condemned the host for asking “irrelevant” questions about the actor’s faith.
Ashraf wrote on Insta, “Why ask such a question? Isn’t it a personal choice? And knowing that backlash, technicalities and questions by most Pakistanis, why would you put someone in such a position? Anyhow, she handled it well. Kudos to Sunita, and it’s awesome that you both have made it work. A great example of mature people.”
Afgan took to her Instagram Stories and shared the clip from the said interview to comment, “So proud of you for handling this downright disgraceful line of questioning, so gracefully. As for Nadir, the only thing this did for you is that now we know there’s a village of idiots, and the population is flourishing.”
