Canadian model Asoomii Jay. Photo: Asoomii Jay Instagram

Canadian model Asoomii Jay, who was harassed and forced to take refuge in a shopping mall in Islamabad, has released a video in which she recounts the incident.

Jay said she faced a lot of backlash from the public, blaming her for the attire with some also saying that she has not been integrated enough to earn any respect.

“Rather than blaming a woman for being sexually harassed, let’s discuss the real issue: lack of men being held accountable for their harassment,” she wrote in an Instagram post.

She continued, “It’s frustrating that media neglected my praise of Pakistan beauty and humanitarian work but has captured my bad experience (which also happened to me in Canada because hey, there’s good and bad everywhere!) and I feel ashamed that MY voice was heard yet thousands of my Pakistani sisters have been neglected."

"I do hope that my sisters understand I stand with them in solidarity and am using my platform to help us as women and for our future daughters InshaAllah,” she added.

In the video accompanying the post, Jay recounts the incident that happened two days ago and said, "When I told them to leave me alone, they started laughing. They blocked me from getting into my Uber and then followed my Uber from Bahria Town to Islamabad, trying to block the driver and even asking the driver for my drop-off location.”



She continued, “I had to change my drop-off location and hide in a nearby mall until I was sure they had gone. Then I went to my Airbnb.”

The model then lashed out at those who blamed her for dressing indecently while walking about.

“I was dressed modestly in a long-sleeved kurta and long pants,” she said, adding that she has friends who were performing Umrah and Hajj, fully covered, wearing a loose abaya and still got sexually harassed.

"It's not just about me or my kids, it's about all my sisters, all these stories I hear from women who were sexually harassed or abused by men and it goes unreported because then they blame the woman. 'Why were you travelling alone?' 'Why were you not with a man?' 'Why was your hair not covered?',” she said.

“Clearly, it's the men we need to hold accountable," Jay added.

Earlier in the day, a first information report was filed at the Sihala station over the alleged harassment Jay faced while visiting the capital city.

According to the FIR, two men persistently harassed Jay and then forced her cab to stop in the middle of the road and asked her to sit in their car. They then proceeded to chase around her car and consistently inquired the driver about the woman's destination.

Watch the entire video below:



