Well-known senior Pakistani television actress Faryal Gohar has made painful revelations about her first marriage to renowned actor Jamal Shah. The marriage lasted nine years before the couple separated.
During a recent appearance on a morning show, Faryal Gohar spoke openly about one of the darkest and most difficult periods of her life. She highlighted serious issues, including domestic violence and social pressure.
Faryal said she was only 23 when she got married. It was a love marriage, and her family had no objection to the relationship because her husband belonged to a Syed family.
However, things later became so difficult that her family began questioning whether he really belonged to a Syed family because he would physically abuse Faryal.
The actress said she continued to tolerate the abuse because it was a love marriage, adding that love can truly be blind.
Faryal said the abuse she faced after marriage was extremely difficult to describe in words.
She revealed that she was beaten with leather belts. The violence was so severe that she suffered several miscarriages. She also experienced severe kidney pain because of the beatings and had to undergo surgeries.
She said that at times, bruises and serious injuries on her face forced her to miss her classes. She also had to hide the marks and injuries on her body.
According to Faryal, the most painful part was not just the physical violence but also the social and traditional restrictions placed on her.
She said she was not allowed to leave the house. She could not even go outside for a walk. Whenever she had to travel, she was made to sit inside a rickshaw behind a covering so that nobody could see her.
During the programme, Faryal also spoke about the harsh reality faced by women in Pakistan. She claimed that 80 percent of women in Pakistan face domestic violence in married life.
She said the problem is not limited to ordinary women. Educated and financially independent women can also face domestic abuse, adding that she herself is an example.
Giving advice to women, Faryal said they should understand that they deserve a better life and should not accept humiliation or abusive behaviour.
She stressed that women must find a way out of difficult and abusive situations.
Faryal also called for better upbringing of boys and men in society. She said they need to be taught to respect women and treat them with dignity.
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