Saheefa Jabbar Khattak In Hot Water for Publicy Shaming House Help's Spending Choices

Express Tribune

12-03-2025

Saheefa Jabbar Khattak, a popular model-turned-actor, has found herself at the center of controversy after publicly shaming her house help, Musarrat, over how she spent charity money given to her.
The Instagram post, which detailed Musarrat's spending of Rs50,000 in just two days on Eid clothes and a bicycle for her children, has been criticized as tone-deaf and invasive.
Instead of simply addressing her concerns privately, Khattak aired her grievances online, drawing widespread backlash for her patronizing tone and public humiliation of Musarrat.
In the Instagram post, Khattak expressed her frustration, writing, 'It hurts to see that when you try to help people who are underprivileged, they end up wasting money.'
She went on to list what she would have bought with the money, claiming that she would have made 'better' choices, such as thrift shopping or buying stitched fabrics from Liberty Market.
What caught the attention of many was not just her criticism of Musarrat's spending, but the deeply personal and intrusive details Khattak shared about her house help's life. She painted a pitiful picture of Musarrat's home, describing the leaky roof and lack of privacy in the bathroom, all without Musarrat's consent.
This sparked outrage among social media users, who accused Khattak of treating her house help as a subject for public consumption rather than respecting her dignity. One user wrote, "writing an essay on Instagram shaming an uneducated woman in a language that she cannot even read, to millions of people, BY NAME."
Instead of apologizing for her post, Khattak doubled down, defending her actions in lengthy comment replies. She stated, 'If I take you to her house, everything she owns is given to her by me,' which many found ironic given her earlier criticism of Musarrat's spending.
She further went on to list the numerous favors she had done for Musarrat over the years, including giving her toys, chocolates, PR packages, and clothes from her shoots.
This move only seemed to deepen the tone-deaf nature of the post, as it shifted the focus away from Musarrat's personal struggle and placed the spotlight on Khattak's self-proclaimed generosity.
Social media users found this approach bizarre, questioning why Khattak was counting all the 'favours' she had done for Musarrat, instead of acknowledging her house help's needs as her own responsibility.
The critique turned towards the performative nature of Khattak's post, with many pointing out that true charity should not come with strings attached or public judgment. If Khattak truly viewed Musarrat as a sister, as she claims, why wasn't this conversation held privately instead of in a public forum?
In her post Saheefa states, "I just don't undertsand. I feel like overconsumption has become such a cultural norm." Yes...overconsumption is a problem but how it makes absolutely no sense to talk about overconsumption about a group of poeple who don't even have their basic needs covered.
A commenter rightfully called her out on this. "Maybe stop promoting overconsumption by being in ads of these insanely priced clothes for Eid and other occasions."
Khattak's follow-up Instagram post continued to defend her position, asserting her belief in financial responsibility.
She also took aim at other celebrities and influencers, accusing them of hypocrisy for living lavish lifestyles while claiming to raise funds for the underprivileged.
While the issue of celebrity charity culture is undeniably an important one, Khattak's handling of the situation raised important questions about the ethics of charity and whether it's ever truly altruistic when it comes with surveillance, micromanagement, and public shaming.
In a deeply classist society, charity can become entangled with a sense of entitlement and control over the lives of the less fortunate. People sometimes begin to believe that simply because they have donated money, they suddenly have a right to dictate how those who receive charity should live their lives.
"You don't get to judge how people spend their money."
People were confused about her disappointment and rather said she should be happy that Musarrat just wanted to make Eid special for her family.
This flawed view often leads to the illusion of generosity without any real understanding of the struggles faced by the underprivileged.
Saheefa Khattak's Instagram rant, while likely well-intentioned, fails to grasp this nuance and serves as a stark reminder of the importance of empathy in charitable acts.
If she truly cares about Musarrat's well-being, why didn't she take the time to speak to her directly and understand her needs instead of turning the situation into a public spectacle?
The performative nature of her actions begs the question: can we truly claim to be charitable if our actions are rooted in judgment, surveillance, and an inherent belief that we know what's best for others?
The lesson to be taken from this controversy is simple: charity is not about showcasing your "generosity" or using your help as a means to display your own virtue. It's about offering support with respect, empathy, and understanding, without strings attached.
If you are truly invested in helping others, let them make their own choices and respect their autonomy.
Charity is best when it is quiet, personal, and free of judgment!