Faryal Gohar opens up about abuse during nine-year marriage

Veteran actress Faryal Gohar recalled nine difficult years of her married life, saying she faced physical abuse, restrictions and pressure to remain in the relationship despite being financially independent.

Gohar made the revelations while appearing on a TV show. She spoke about her ordeal of domestic abuse and the pressure on women to tolerate violence within marriage.

Gohar said that she was subjected to repeated beatings, adding that the violence also had serious consequences for her health, including miscarriages. “I was beaten with leather belts, which also led to miscarriages. How could I have given birth to a child under such circumstances?” she asked.

The actress said that the injuries were not always visible to others because she often tried to conceal them. At times, she was unable to attend her classes because of the wounds she had suffered.

She also connected her long-term kidney pain to the abuse. Recalling the extent of the violence, she said that she was kicked and beaten from behind and eventually required surgery. “The pain became so bad that I had to undergo surgery,” she said, recalling how her condition eventually prevented her from attending university in London.

For Gohar, however, the difficulties were not limited to physical violence. She said that she could not simply leave the house or go out for a walk whenever she wanted. On some occasions, she said, she had to wear her mother-in-law’s burqa before going outside.

She also recalled using a covered rickshaw because she was not supposed to be recognised in public. When asked by Nida Yasir how long she remained in that situation, Gohar repeated her answer: “Nine years. Nine years.”

Gohar had married actor Jamal Shah after the two met through their involvement in Pakistan’s cinema. Their relationship later became well known in the entertainment industry. The couple divorced in 1992 after nine years of marriage.