Celebrities defend peers attending the HUM Awards and say some proceeds from the show will go to flood victims

If you keep up with your favorite stars, you’ve probably noticed that most of them flew to Toronto, Canada to attend the annual HUM Awards. But while people usually love seeing celebs’ travel pictures, this time their adventures were not appreciated by their followers, who criticized them for attending the event instead of helping those affected by the floods in Pakistan . Several celebrities are now speaking out in their defense and those of their peers.

Ushna Shah issued a statement saying much of the proceeds from the event will be donated to flood relief, while Ahmed Ali Butt, Zhalay Sarhadi, Mariyam Nafees and model Nadia Hussain defended those present, saying they would only ” do their job”. .

On Thursday, have Actor Shah took to Twitter where she shared her statement. In it she wrote: “It’s quite disturbing to read the criticism for those of us who came to Toronto to attend the awards ceremony. It is imperative that those affected by the flooding know they will not be forgotten and we are working on channels to raise funds through our industry.”

Shah said she can stand up for herself and other artists by saying everyone has “privately” contributed to the relief funds and continues to do so. Referring to attending an awards ceremony, she wrote that 50 percent of the proceeds from this sold-out show will go to families affected by the floods, for whom they also attended a fundraiser in Canada. She later corrected herself and said her figure of 50 percent was wrong.

The actress said she hopes to continue contributing when she returns to the country, as the rehabilitation of fellow citizens following this “terrible disaster” is a collective responsibility. “We also need to shed international light on the effects of climate change, which has hit Pakistan hardest,” she wrote.

Actor and singer Ahmed Ali Butt took to his Instagram Stories poking fun at Angelina Jolie’s visit to Pakistan. “Since everyone is in [awe] by Angi Baji who was visiting for three days and how dare we Pakistani celebrities fly to Toronto to PARTY? By party you mean throwing a sold-out benefit dinner for flood relief and holding a SOLD OUT awards ceremony in advance, with a percentage going back to flood victims,” he wrote.

He expressed his disappointment, adding that despite their best efforts, people would praise Jolie instead of them. “Keya karain humain Sharmila… I mean sharam nahi aati [what to do, Sharmila.. I mean, we don’t feel ashamed]. But thank you for supporting your entertainment industry as always (sarcasm),” he wrote, jabbing at PPP leader Sharmila Faruqi, who addressed the celebrities attending the awards ceremony.

Model Nadia Hussain questioned why people forget that international celebrities who come to Pakistan don’t come on their own “but to represent an international charity”.

“They do their job, just like any of our celebrities [who] doing their job abroad or our cricketers [who] play cricket and do their job!! Those who have flooded affected areas of their own accord are actually the ones to be commended.”

She urged people not to point fingers and instead look at the four fingers pointing back at them and ask themselves four times whether or not they did their part. “If we all do what we can, it’s even less for those affected!!! Let’s just keep doing what we can and don’t question anyone,” the model wrote.

Actors Mariyam Nafees and Zhalay Sarhadi also stepped in to defend their entertainment industry peers. Nafees took to Twitter and retweeted a person criticizing the celebrities who had gone to Canada. She wrote, “kya [what] etc etc? Me and my husband went personally. Hadiqa Kiani is on the ground. Resham ji left. Celebs have donated SO MUCH that you don’t know about. Release Karo to Masla na Karho to Masla [if we publish there’s an issue if we don’t then too there’s an issue]. you do you!”

That Diyar-e-Dil star also wrote that there is nothing to prove to anyone and that the “government owes it to the people” to work for their benefit. Nafees took the conversation to Instagram, polling people and urging them to “attack the celebs” and stop working. “Baatein karna bara asaan hai [It’s easy to talk], get to work! Flood victims need ALL,” she wrote.

Sharing a photo of herself talking to people, Sarhadi wrote that people in the affected areas “need your help and focus the most!” She exclaimed that people are needed here, not “people striking” on social media who they believe are not doing what they should be doing. “Un kay aamaal unkay haain aap kay aamal aap kay [Their actions are theirs, your actions are yours]’ wrote Sarhadi with the hashtag #bebetter.

HUM Gala

In the meantime. HUM TV held a fundraising gala in Toronto to raise funds for relief and rehabilitation efforts.

In a press release, the network explained that the gala night was supported by designers Shamsha Hashwani, Sana Safinaz, Nilofer Shahid, Faiza Samee, Rizwan Beyg, Sania Maskatiya and Warda Saleem, in addition to the artists who came for the HUM Awards. Cricket players such as Waseem Akram, Javed Miandad, Shahid Afridi, Babar Azam, Muhammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, Shan Masood and Naseem Shah also supported the cause by providing autographed cricket bats and kits.

All proceeds from the gala night, the auction of cricket items and designer clothes will go to aid and reconstruction efforts in flood-hit regions of the country, according to the network.

Pakistan has suffered about US$10 billion in damage so far, with 33 million people affected and displaced. Here is an extensive list of organizations that are accepting donations and working to help those affected by the floods.