The #MeToo and #Timesup campaigns have gone global since allegations of sexual misconduct by Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein were made in 2017 (ALEX WONG)
<p>Islamabad (AFP) – The chief executive of one of Pakistan’s most influential newspapers has denied accusations he raped an acclaimed filmmaker, in a case that has spotlighted sexual abuse targeting men and added momentum to the country’s fledgling #MeToo movement.</p><p>Director Jamshed Mahmood Raza took to social media over the weekend to allege that Dawn newspaper’s Hameed Haroon raped him 13 years ago. </p><p>In October, Raza first described the assault publicly on Twitter but referred to the alleged perpetrator as a "powerful person in our media world".</p><p>Haroon — who hails from one of Pakistan’s wealthiest and most influential families — issued a fierce denial in Dawn, the country’s most popular English daily, late Monday, calling the accusations "simply untrue and intentionally fabricated".</p><p>"I categorically deny the allegation of rape leveled against me," said Haroon in a statement.</p><p>Raza later slammed Haroon’s comments, saying the statement was "nothing but a slap to all us survivors".</p><p>The allegations have again stirred controversy in the deeply conservative country, where most discussions about sex and abuse are considered taboo. </p><p>Some voices have called for accountability, while others dismissed notions of male-on-male sexual assault.</p><p>"I have a question: how can a grown man be raped by another individual? Couldn’t they have fought him off," tweeted writer Salman Rashid. </p><p>Others disagreed.</p><p>"Rape is not only about physical power; it is about power in general. If a powerful person coerces you to have sex with them, that is rape," wrote Nida Kirmani on Twitter. </p><p>The #MeToo and #Timesup campaigns have gone global since allegations of sexual misconduct by Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein were made in 2017, sparking an avalanche of accusations against other powerful men.</p><p>However, the movement has been slow to catch on in Pakistan, where women have fought for their rights for years in a patriarchal society where so-called "honour" killings and attacks on women remain commonplace.</p><p>Cases and allegations involving men assaulting other men have been even more rarely discussed in the country. </p><p></p>

Disclaimer: Validity of the above story is for 7 Days from original date of publishing. Source: AFP.