Actress Saba Qamar has announced that she is taking legal action against journalist Naeem Hanif after he made allegations about her past in an online broadcast. The dispute arose after Hanif released a video claiming that around 2003 or 2004, Qamar lived in a house in Walton, Lahore, provided by a man she was allegedly involved with. He further alleged that the relationship ended without marriage and that the man later began harassing her.
Responding to these claims, Saba Qamar denied all allegations and issued a strong statement on her Instagram Story. “Spreading false allegations about someone is a serious offense. I’ve never lived in Walton, and none of what you’ve claimed is true,” she wrote. The actress added, “I’m taking legal action against you. See you in court.”
Following her response, Qamar’s legal counsel, Saigal, Tarar & Leghari LLP, issued a formal legal notice for defamation to Naeem Hanif and Raasta News Network (RNN TV). The notice accuses Hanif of making “defamatory, sexist, and derogatory statements” about the actress during a podcast aired on November 1, 2025, under the RNN TV banner and uploaded to its YouTube channel.
According to the notice, Hanif’s remarks “falsely suggested moral compromise and impropriety” on Qamar’s part, and his statements attempted to “trivialise her professional achievements.” The law firm described the broadcast as “innuendo-laden commentary” that amounted to “a gendered attack on a woman whose professional and humanitarian record stands unblemished and internationally celebrated.”
The law firm has demanded that Naeem Hanif take several corrective actions within seven days of receiving the notice. He has been asked to retract and remove all defamatory, sexist, and derogatory statements, including the podcast episode and any related clips or excerpts shared on social media. The notice also requires him to issue a public written apology in the same medium and with the same prominence as the original broadcast, explicitly acknowledging that his statements were “false, fabricated, misogynistic, and defamatory.”
In addition, Hanif has been directed to refrain from making, repeating, or sharing any further remarks concerning Saba Qamar’s personal or professional life. The law firm has also demanded that he pay PKR 100 million in compensation to the actress for “reputational damage, mental anguish, and trauma” resulting from the allegations and their public dissemination.
The notice warns that failure to comply within the stipulated period will result in civil and criminal proceedings before the competent courts of law.
