Bad timing? Social media slams Komal Rizvi's selfie with Edhi

Published July 6, 2015
We believe Komal may have had her heart in the right place; but we can't deny that taking a selfie with Edhi while he's ailing could be viewed as tasteless.
We believe Komal may have had her heart in the right place; but we can't deny that taking a selfie with Edhi while he's ailing could be viewed as tasteless.

There's a time and place for everything, even selfies... right?

At least, that's what people are saying after pop singer Komal Rizvi visited Abdul Sattar Edhi and took a selfie with the philanthropist, who has recently been unwell.

The singer visited Edhi and his wife Bilquis on Sunday, and posted pictures of her trip on her Facebook page, saying: "I cannot thank Almighty enough for giving me this unforgettable moment and opportunity to meet the most important man in Pakistan. The man and his beautiful wife, whose enormous and endless wealth and prosperity cannot be measured by mere dollars."

Apart from her selfie with Edhi, Komal was also pictured with his wife.

Her followers didn't seem too impressed. The majority of comments on the post disparaged the selfie, saying it was disrespectful. A few defended Komal, saying, "Did anyone of you visited him? Don't judge."

Twitter wasn't far behind:

Komal isn't the only celebrity to have visited Edhi and Edhi Center recently. Other celebrities have taken the trip too, like the cast of upcoming film Wrong No, including Danish Taimoor, Sohai Ali Abro and Yasir Nawaz, who posted pictures of their visit on Facebook.

Fans and commentators didn't judge the cast of Wrong No as harshly as they did Komal. Most of the comments following the post were positive and congratulatory. Only a few people criticised the trip, asking: "It was a great thing they did but why publicise it so much?"

We believe these celebs have their hearts in the right place; but we can't deny that taking a selfie with Edhi while he's ailing could be viewed as tasteless.

Unfortunately, in today's 'selfie-or-it-didn't-happen' culture, celebrities and even us regular folks confuse the line between good taste and bad.

And while many people may say that celebrities should be charitable without seeking attention and/or promoting their good deeds online, we have to ask: if we didn't see proof of their actions would we really believe they were being charitable? Without Facebook and Twitter, would charitable causes get the attention they deserve?

It's true that Komal is engaged with numerous charitable ventures, which she also publicises through social media. Those posts generate positive responses, unlike her post with Edhi.

It's a slippery slope. Let's hope we can navigate it well when it's our turn!

Updated: Komal addressed the now-infamous selfie with a follow-up post on Facebook.

"I share this personal visit with you and the conversations we had briefly because I believe that my selfie with Edhi Sahab is possibly the greatest and best selfie I have ever taken," said Komal. "Both Edhi Sahab and I were happy taking it. We were laughing and joking and singing and talking about other celebrity visits and how I can possibly participate in the future with their foundation."

We think she makes a valid point!

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