Acclaimed Pakistani folk singer Sanam Marvi has filed a legal notice against Ahmed Shah, President of the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi, alleging mistreatment and bias during a concert at Sukkur’s Jinnah Municipal Stadium on August 10.
The event is part of the Sindh government’s Marka-e-Haq and Independence Day celebrations, included stars like Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Asim Azhar, Bilal Saeed, Young Stunners, and HAVI.
Marvi, who performed at a similar Hyderabad event on August 8, claims she was intentionally barred from performing in Sukkur.
The notice, issued on August 11 through Marvi’s lawyer, states that organizers ignored her calls from 8:30am to 9:40am, allegedly to delay her arrival due to her Sindhi background. Despite her efforts, including sending her brothers to help, Marvi was left waiting outside the venue in front of fans and artists.
The notice accuses Shah of physically pushing her, using abusive language, and threatening to block her performance, calling it a severe insult to her status as a cultural icon. This caused her significant emotional and reputational harm.
Marvi demands a public apology and Rs50 million in damages, with a seven-day deadline before pursuing civil and criminal action. The final concert in the series is tonight at Karachi’s National Stadium.
