Pakistani actor Khaqan Shahnawaz has opened up about a disturbing domestic abuse incident he says he witnessed from his balcony, revealing how he spotted a man allegedly beating a woman and immediately contacted the police.
Khaqan shared the experience while speaking with actress Ayesha Omar during a recent podcast, where the conversation focused on domestic violence and the difficult situations women can face in relationships.
According to Khaqan, he was standing on his balcony a few days earlier when he noticed two people under a tree in a deserted section of the park near his home. The situation appeared suspicious, so he used his phone camera to zoom in. He said he then realised that the man was allegedly hitting the woman with sticks.
Khaqan said he started recording because he wanted to have evidence and immediately contacted emergency police service 15. He provided his location and other details requested by the operator, but said the police did not arrive while he was initially watching the incident.
The actor said the situation later became confusing when the couple appeared to behave normally. According to him, they hugged, ate together and stayed with their child despite the incident he said he had witnessed earlier.
Khaqan recalled standing there for around 50 minutes and recording different moments on his phone. He eventually received a call from 15 informing him that police had reached the location. He then helped the officers find the couple.
However, Khaqan said the woman became angry after discovering that he had contacted the police. According to the actor, she accused him of trying to separate her from her husband and denied that anything had happened.
The reaction left Khaqan deeply shocked. He said he began wondering what would happen if the woman continued denying the incident in front of the police and whether his attempt to help could create further problems for the couple.
Sharing the experience, Khaqan said the incident stayed with him and made him think about how complicated domestic abuse situations can become, particularly when people outside the relationship try to intervene.
His comments come amid renewed discussion about violence against women in Pakistan following the death of 45-year-old Hina Javed in Rawalpindi. Police ruled out an initial impression of suicide and registered the case as murder, while her husband and a domestic worker were taken into custody as the investigation continued.