Singer Ali Noor of 'Noori' accused of sexual harassment

Ali Noor, lead vocalist of the band Noori, has been accused of sexual harassment by journalist Ayesha Binte Rashid.

Rashid, on Friday, took to Instagram to share screenshots of an alleged WhatsApp conversation with the singer in which she accused him of being a predator saying, “You emotionally manipulated me and what happened in the back of my car while driving to the airport was sexual harassment. You’re a sexual harasser and a predator.”

Rashid not only accused Noor of sexually harassing her, but also of threatening to jeopardise her friendship with Kami Paul, the drummer for Noori, if ‘she stood up to him’.

The conversation also sees Rashid calling Noor a “womaniser with a God complex who is all talk yet doesn’t have the proactiveness to break out of his toxic patterns.”

Rashid’s screenshots include alleged replies from Noor himself, seemingly sent to her via his wife’s phone number after she blocked him, in which he is seen seemingly alluding to his guilt by thanking Rashid for the ‘wakeup call’ and making him ‘see the mirror’.

The authenticity of the messages remains to be ascertained; however, Noor has since taken to his personal Instagram account to talk about the allegations in a letter addressed to his ‘Nano’, in which he claims that Rashid hasn’t shared all of his replies to her.

“Today, I put the teaser and release date of the video and the son but as I was doing that, I got a message from newspapers that I have been accused of #MeToo by Ayesha Binte and my screenshots and apologies have been put up. She didn't put all of them and that's sad.”

He goes on to add, “I even suggested I should be hanged and executed publicly. She simply wasn't taking me seriously. Anyway, I am so glad she finally put it out.”

Noor also shared the allegedly ‘missing’ messages with a local publication, in which he reportedly said, “Oh man I am completely devastated. I am hating myself; you are absolutely right and sometimes one needs a mirror to see. I couldn't agree more. I swear as I read this I don't want to live. I am truly your culprit and I am willing to pay any punishment.”

“All I can say is that my life has taken a turn that I never could imagine and your message is truly a sign from God for me to see my truth. And yes, I am paying a very hefty price for my ego, my God complex... I have never been this miserable and yes you are right my inability to change myself is dawning as true reality.”

“You also know that I am not a sexual predator but clearly this direction of the life of mine could turn me into that and worse and My God I am so scared. Your message is the hardest hit I have ever had in my... I've truly lost my innocence and I will have to read it for the rest of my life and live with it, what have I done?” he reportedly added.

“Ayesha, I am truly your gunehgaar. You are definitely one of the most sincere, real and genuine people I know. You know the truth is I had completely blocked this from my mind ...which only goes to show how [expletive] up I am.”

“Your innocence and honesty were the most adorable thing on the trip and man what did I do. I am taking full responsibility, both publicly and privately. Whatever your decision for punishment is, I will not dare to talk of my good or not so bad intentions here but if you check with your heart, you might find some space for my folly, I have to make this right. Tell the whole world to get me arrested, hanged, but please don't hate me,” his message allegedly concluded.

Following his earlier reaction in the form of the letter addressed to his ‘Nano’, Noor shared yet another post on his Instagram story saying, “This is no PR ploy to promote a new single. This is serious [expletive] and will have to be addressed… I don’t mind being called the worst person on Earth… but people around me are getting concerned and hurt and I hate to cause strife to anyone including Rashid.”

“This is pissing me off,” he added, urging that he be allowed to release his upcoming song in ‘peace’ on February 22.

“Till then, everyone please calm down and send me hate mail instead,” he said.

Rashid’s allegations have incited a storm on local Twitter, where Noor’s name is now trending with numerous people reacting to the accusations.

“Why is Ali Noor acting like being a harasser is some soulful hipster thing?” asked one user, while another wrote, “Ugh. Turns out Ali Noor is also a predator. All our childhood stars turning out to be absolute trash.”

This is a developing story, and will be updated subsequently.