From breakdown to 'strategy'? Saheefa Jabbar Khattak faces heat over new video

Model and entrepreneur Saheefa Jabbar Khattak is facing fresh criticism after sharing a new video that suggests her recent emotional posts and controversies may have been part of a marketing strategy.

In the clip, captioned “The Grind,” Saheefa appears calm and smiling as someone on a call asks her, “So do you think your marketing strategy actually worked out?” She responds, “Don’t you think it is already a case study?” — a remark that has left many social media users frustrated.

The video comes just days after Saheefa publicly broke down over what she described as a sudden wave of fake negative reviews targeting her newly launched café, Roni’s Pizzeria. At the time, she claimed that over 50 one-star reviews appeared on Google within a short span.

“I woke up and saw that there were so many one-star reviews on Google. Almost 50 reviews came in within a very short time,” she had said, adding that she had personally been present at the café, serving pizzas and interacting with customers who seemed satisfied.

The situation was already under scrutiny due to her earlier controversial remarks about hiring preferences, where she expressed a preference for Pashtun staff. The comments drew criticism online, with many accusing her of promoting stereotypes and generalising entire communities. Some users called her remarks disrespectful toward Urdu-speaking and Punjabi people, while others even suggested boycotting her business.

Now, with her latest video hinting that the entire episode may have been orchestrated, public reaction has intensified. Many users accused her of misleading audiences and trivialising genuine struggles faced by small business owners.

One user commented, “This isn’t marketing — it’s deception dressed up as marketing.”

Another said she was simply “riding the hype wave,” calling it “sympathy card marketing” that may not last once attention fades.

A third pointed out that such tactics could hurt other women trying to build businesses, writing that it was “derogatory towards women who want to step up and run businesses themselves.”

One commenter took a longer view, saying, “Ethics matter in business… let’s see the post-marketing results in five-year projections.”

Another added bluntly, “Case study on what not to do.”

And as one user summed it up, the real test would be simple: “In the end, the food will tell.”

The backlash highlights a growing conversation around ethics in digital marketing, particularly when personal narratives and emotional appeals are involved. While some see bold strategies as part of modern branding, others argue that trust — once broken — is difficult to rebuild.

For now, what Saheefa called a “case study” is quickly becoming one for debate, with audiences questioning where the line between marketing and manipulation should be drawn.