Singer Humera Arshad levels allegations of abuse against husband

LAHORE: Singer Humera Arshad on Wednesday levelled accusations against her husband, alleging that he attacked her home and beat up her family, Geo News reported.

Arshad claimed that Ahmed Butt – her spouse of more than 10 years – also threatened her of "dire consequences" and refused to hand over their six-year-old son.

The pop singer said that Butt, 41, had promised her the custody of their child against the condition that she would transfer the ownership of her house to his name.

However, despite having come to an agreement with her husband regarding the aforementioned condition, Arshad says he assaulted her and her family. She explained how Butt attacked her nephew when he, along with his father (Arshad's brother), came to her rescue.

The musician stated that her husband wants to claim the custody of her child and take her house and money as well. She said Butt also threatened her, stating that she would have to face "dire consequences" and that he would publicly accuse her of blasphemy.

"He said he wouldn't have to kill me after that because the public will eventually take care of whether I live or die," Arshad said, referring to Butt's threat of lying to the public that she was a blasphemer.

What Butt has to say

According to Butt, the bone of contention between the couple is their son's future. While Butt wants his son to become a doctor while Arshad wants him to enter the entertainment industry. 

Butt – a Pakistani model and actor – asserted that he went home to see his child when Arshad's brothers pounced upon and tortured him. He subsequently made a call to 15.

The actor also appeared in a short video clip – available with Geo News – wherein he is seen wearing a torn shirt, which, according to him, is the result of the fight between him and Arshad's brothers.

Following an emergency call that the singer made to police helpline 15, Butt, alongside his brother and a friend, were detained at a police station but not formally arrested since no case has been filed yet.

Geo News has obtained exclusive footage from what transpired in the couple's home in the eastern city of Lahore.

A report detailing calls made to the police emergency helpline has been filed at the police station.

On Thursday, a local court granted bail to Ahmed Butt and Arshad’s brothers. Both the parties told the court that they have resolved their differences.

Conflicted history

The ghazal singer has been embroiled in a testing relationship with her husband, appearing time and again on news over the years for publicly accusing each other of fraud and abuse, among other things.

The two had tied the knot in a love marriage over a decade ago, in 2004.

Things took a turn for the worse when, back in May 2015, Arshad formally announced she and her husband were going their separate ways, refuting allegations that Butt levelled against her, and, instead, accusing him of deceit, domestic violence, and attempts to kidnap their son.

She had claimed that her husband threatened to tarnish her image in the media, take away her son, and throw acid on her. “He kept my four-year-old son away from me for four days, and threatened that he would kill anyone who attempts to take him,” she said.

Butt also accused Arshad of bringing the matter to spotlight in order to gain American nationality. In response, however, she said she could easily immigrate to the US if she wanted to.

"My son is a US national because he was born there. […] If I wanted to get US nationality, I could have done so a long time ago," she said.

Butt "beat me for three days. Our neighbours are witness to the fact that he slapped me outside the house and pulled me by the hair," Arshad had said.

Had to make 'a public affair'

Later, in April 2016, the matter resurfaced.

When things got completely out of hands, the musician said she “had no choice but to make marriage a public affair”, a local media outlet quoted her saying.

Arshad organised a press conference in response to Butt's press briefing, wherein he had accused her of heinous crimes. “[…] My husband accused me of property fraud and threatened my life. That made me step up,” the singer told the publication.

“Ahmed never gave me a single penny, I was running the entire household on my earnings as a singer and Ahmed would ask for money every now and then.”

'For the sake of my son'

November 2016 saw the two setting aside their differences and agreeing to live together again.

“I must accept Humaira back for the sake of my son, he was suffering the most because of our separation,” Butt had told reporters.

“We have decided not to fight to keep him happy. […] Humaira and I are together again and hope to remain so for the rest of our lives.”

Seen 'this drama for many years'

Arshad has said in the past that Butt insulted her in front of their neighbours, beating her in public and pulling her hair, all of which had led to a lot of stress and embarrassment.

“We have been seeing this drama for many years now, ever since these two got married. We knew they will come back together this time too,” a person close to the couple said back in 2016.