Pakistani model‑turned‑actress and entrepreneur Saheefa Jabbar Khattak has found herself at the centre of a heated online debate after videos she posted on social media triggered widespread condemnation this week.
The controversy began when Saheefa Khattak shared a clip on Instagram promoting her newly opened café, Rick Patty, in which she discussed her difficulties in recruiting staff. In the video, the actress said she wanted “honest” workers and, controversially, expressed a preference for Pathan (Pashtun) men because, in her words, she did “not trust Punjabi and Urdu‑speaking people” — remarks that many users have labelled discriminatory.
that girl's name is Saheefa Jabbar Khattak and she has spent her entire life in Lahore. However her heart is filled with extreme racism against Panjabis like a typical Pashtun. Pashtuns are taught hatred against Panjabis from a very young age. pic.twitter.com/tz8glDF8NW
— maddy (@panjabijatt56) March 5, 2026
“I need honest people. This time, I want Pathan boys because I believe they are true to their word. I do not trust Punjabi and Urdu-speaking people anymore,” she said.
She also urged prospective staff to avoid seeking attention rather than working. “Please, only serious and decent people should come. Many are coming just to go viral after watching these videos. They think they will appear in videos and that is it,” she added.
Social media users across platforms such as X and Instagram criticised her for what they described as stereotyping and “racist” language, arguing that her comments were divisive and unfairly generalised entire communities. Some commentators called for a boycott of her new business, with negative reviews and debates now trending online.
On X, a user wrote: “These two restaurants belong to this racist Pashtun woman, Saheefa Jabbar Khattak. Therefore, I request Panjabis, Urdu-speaking people, to completely boycott both restaurants, FGS and go to Google to give them a 1 Star rating in the reviews.”
The backlash has been intensified by an earlier incident, recently reshared online, in which Khattak faced criticism for mocking a worker cleaning a window on her shooting set — a row that sparked charges of classism and raised questions about the treatment of lower-income workers by affluent influencers.
this isnt her first time, saheefa jabbar khattak was seen in actoress saboor ali instagram story making fun n giving racist remarks of window cleaner while Affan Waheed gave them a shutup call, shes a proper bitch https://t.co/swieMidUJY pic.twitter.com/dAfAyWrZim
— syed (@extinctkid) March 6, 2026
Some commentators have defended Saheefa Khattak, including actress, model and now host of a popular YouTube podcast, Iffat Omar, who replied to criticism on social media: “Why? This is her experience and opinion. What’s your problem?”
Another commentator posted on X: "It’s her business and her choice, whoever she wants to hire, for the fact that she’s right, Pathans are far more hardworking and reliable than Punjabis as labour, I’d never hire Punjabi labour. Stop ruining ppl’s businesses and livelihoods just to look cool on social media"