Say she is trying to get cheap popularity
LONDON: Boxer Amir Khan’s father Sajjad Khan has rubbished the allegations of bullying and domestic violence leveled by the British Pakistani boxer’s American-Pakistani wife Faryal Makhdoom.
In an exclusive interview with Geo News at his home in Bolton, Sajjad Khan said his daughter-in-law Faryal Makhdoom was lying and using “wrong methods” to get publicity. Sajjad Khan and his wife Falak spoke out after Faryal alleged that Amir Khan’s family bullied her and subjected her to criticism for three years. In an interview to a red-top tabloid here, Faryal, 25, alleged that her in-laws cropped her out of family photos, hurled a remote control at her and even slapped her.
But Sajjad Khan hit back and accused Amir Khan’s wife of lying. “I ask Faryal to produce evidence of violence. Where is the evidence? We have always held her in highest esteem and gave her the same level of respect and love that we gave to our two daughters.”
Amir Khan’s mother Falak predicted that soon Faryal will allege that Amir Khan has beaten her too. Crying, she revealed that Faryal never mixed with the family and called them “paindoo” (a derogatory term used for the people who hail from villages). She said: “I am a proud Pakistani, I have always respected my in-laws and we have our traditions and values. No one abused Faryal and I once asked her to take dupatta (veil) and she didn’t listen and I never brought up the subject again. Amir told us that she doesn’t listen to him and that we should tell her parents about that. We lived in the same house but Faryal never mixed with us. She called us ‘paindoo’. She has forgotten that the same Paindoo parents gave birth to Amir Khan and brought him up.”
Sajjad Khan said that the Khan family did raise “concerns” the way Faryal dressed at times and urged her to wear modest attire but she didn’t listen as she perhaps considered as her “prerogative”.
“My wife and I have always loved our children having instilled in them good manners and a good degree of modesty. I have never dictated to Faryal as to how she should dress although I had raised concerns with my son.
“Beyond subtly mentioning it to Amir I have never had any further input on this issue. Islam is a just faith and teaches modesty to both men and women.
“Faryal was adopting a dress code which in Islamic faith was not acceptable. I am a father to two daughters whom I have treated in exactly the same way I as I have treated Faryal. She is no different to me and my family as my other two daughters. Society, friends as well as the media will no doubt be witness to the fact that at no point over the last three years was there any cause of concern. The reason for this is very simple. Faryal has been treated a family member for the duration of the time that she has spent with us in the UK.”
Sajjad refuted allegations of violence and completely. He said: “There is no doubt that Faryal is attempting to gain popularity amongst the masses by becoming a 'voice' for the ill-treated daughters-in-law. It’s extremely shameful that in this attempt she has falsely depicted herself as a victim. There is also no doubt that Faryal, having spent barely 1/5 of the time in the UK with the Khan family, would have had ample opportunity to voice the alleged oppression and violence that she was facing. The simple fact is that whatever she has said over the last several days is completely untrue.
“We are a peaceful and respectable family who have lived for no less than 45 years in the UK. All of our friends and communities from our town and city have assured great support to face false allegations made by Faryal. What Faryal fails to see is that she had made false allegations against her own family and what purpose this will serve for her I don’t know. Irrespective of what she has done we still regard Faryal as a member of our family. She is married to our son Amir Khan. For this reason she is our daughter-in-law and we have always treated our daughter-in-law as our own daughter.”
He said that there is no doubt that every family has ups and downs. We also faced some such situations and played our role to reconcile the man and wife. We did this as a duty and not a favour.
It is bizarre that Farayl is seeking cheap publicity via the wrong methods. She must realize that we are the parents of the man she married out of love. She must learn to respect her husband’s parents just as she has always respected hers.”
Sajjjad Khan challenged Farayl to produce any evidence of violence. “She should have a police report number. Or the medical record, medical reports if door was slammed on her. There must be some evidence. She has nothing to show because she knows she is lying. We never hurt her. What she is saying is a lie. If criticising a dress code is bullying then it is fine. She has started a campaign only to malign us.”
