'It wasn’t even explicit': Ayesha Omar opens up about viral photo leak

Pakistani actor Ayesha Omar has opened up about a difficult period in her career after private photos were leaked online without her consent — saying the incident led to professional setbacks and emotional distress.

In a candid interview with the BBC, Omar said the images were taken during a beach trip in Thailand and were not explicit in nature, but were still circulated widely online without permission.

She explained that the photos showed her and her friend, actor Maria Wasti, in casual beach attire while on holiday.

Despite the non-explicit nature of the images, Omar said the impact was significant.

“I lost out on some work stuff because in my culture, you have to conform to a particular image because you’re representing a brand,” she said, adding, “And I went through a lot of trauma because of that.”

Her comments highlight a growing conversation around image-based abuse and how leaked content — even when non-sexual — can still be damaging to reputations and careers, especially for public figures.

Omar is now working with the NGO ‘Chayn’ to raise awareness around consent and online safety, focusing on the idea that harm is not limited to explicit images.

Chayn founder Hera Hussein also emphasised this point, saying: “The image does not have to be nude for it to be harmful. Sometimes it can be as harmful even if not a single body part is bare.”

The initiative aims to shift public perception from judging the content of leaked images to holding accountable those who share them without consent.

Omar’s remarks have once again sparked discussion around privacy, consent, and the pressures faced by women in the entertainment industry in the digital age.