Halima Rafiq
Halima Rafiq was a Pakistani cricketer from Multan, Punjab, Pakistan. Rafiq accused Multan Cricket Club chairman Maulvi Muhammad Sultan Alam Ansari of sexual harassment during a cricket match in Multan Cricket Stadium, for which she was backed by her female teammates but was thereafter sued by Alam Ansari for ₨20 million. She died after ingesting acid on 13 July 2014.
Career
Sexual harassment allegations
Rafiq made a claim during a cricket match that she had been a victim of sexual harassment at the hands of her recruiters. The alleged perpetrator was Maulvi Muhammad Sultan Alam Ansari, who is a 70-year-old lawyer, former judge, and member of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab from MPA elected from the PP-161 from Multan with Pakistan Muslim League (N) ticket. She claimed that Alam Ansari, along with team selector Mohammad Javed, demanded sexual favours in return for nominating her for both the regional and national cricket teams. Raifiq then stated she was since being threatened for highlighting the issue of sexual harassment in women's sports brought onto them by their recruiters. In 2013, Rafiq, Seema Javed, Hina Ghafoor, Kiran Irshad and Saba Ghafoor claimed that they were being threatened, intimidated, and harassed by the Multan Cricket Board.Alam Ansari subsequently sued Rafiq for ₨20 million for making false accusations and attempted defamation.