ISLAMABAD: Social media influencer Naila Raja has broken her silence over swirling rumours linking her to former Pakistani cricketer Imad Wasim, strongly denying any romantic involvement and calling the allegations “baseless” and “misleading.”
The controversy erupted online after speculation suggested that Imad’s alleged infidelity had caused a rift with his wife, Sania Ashfaq, who recently gave birth to their third child, a son named Zayan.
Fueling the rumours, Sania’s cryptic Instagram post announcing the birth of her son made no mention of Imad. The caption read:
“I carried you alone in my womb for 9 months. May God give me more strength for the journey ahead, Zayan.”
A relative reshared the post, praising Sania as “so strong,” which further led social media users to speculate about trouble in the couple’s marriage.
Further intensifying public curiosity, observers noted changes to Sania’s Instagram profile, where she removed the title of “wife of Imad Wasim” and deleted all pictures with the cricketer—though both still follow each other.
Adding to the speculation, a video surfaced online appearing to show Imad Wasim walking alongside a woman in London. Though the footage was unclear, some users claimed the woman was Naila Raja.
Amid mounting backlash, Naila Raja issued a formal statement on Instagram to clarify her position.
“Hello, I usually don’t respond to rumours or speculation, but this has gone too far,” she wrote.
“I shared that story [featuring Imad Wasim] on my own Instagram. It wasn’t hidden or secretive. How can a harmless Instagram story be the reason for someone’s divorce?”
Addressing the viral video, she clarified that it was taken outside an optical store and deliberately edited to exclude others present at the time.
“The video was zoomed in from one angle, deliberately ignoring the rest of the group who were present with us.”
Naila also criticized the harsh tone of online discussions:
“I understand that being a public figure comes with criticism, but I am also a woman. Please stop dragging me into something that has nothing to do with me.”
She revealed that her family had received abusive messages, particularly targeting her brother.
“He’s being told to ‘control’ me and asked about ‘honour.’ Why is honour always tied to a woman’s actions?” she questioned.
“Have we built a society where a woman’s dignity is constantly judged while her achievements go unnoticed?”
She concluded by addressing the wider societal mindset:
“Then we wonder why honour-based violence persists. We’ve normalised judging others without understanding the full context, just to feel morally superior.”
As of now, Imad Wasim has not issued any Statement
