A local massage parlour offering services to clients through untrained personnel has been accused of consumer rights violation, leading to serious injuries to the clients including Lahore-based models.
Hafsah Haq, a model and founder of a local dance academy, took to social media to highlight the injuries she sustained due to her treatment at Arammish Spa, the massage parlour.
Portraying her experience with the popular parlour, Haq said that she had gone in for a full-body, deep tissue massage on March 13 and bruises appeared on her left leg a day afterwards. According to the model, this injury was aggravated while she was teaching a dance class, and had to be rushed to DHA Medical Centre.
After two checkups at the medical centre, Dr Sharjeel told her that the brown bruising was indicative of internal bleeding, and was likely a result of the massage itself, said Haq.
Thereafter, she was shifted to Evercare Hospital in Nespak Housing Society and underwent an ultrasound. The procedure showed muscle strain and revealed that the damage had extended to her ankle and hamstring.
Due to the injury leaving her bedridden, the model experience major muscle atrophy on both her legs, which also resulted in a loosened kneecap on her left leg.
Dr Sajid Mehmood, who was overseeing the physical therapy for Haq at Evercare, indicated in his notes – which TLTP has a copy of – that the most probable cause of the injury was “excessive massage of specific muscle”.
During this time, the model had been in contact with Arammish to try and obtain some form of recompensation for the damages she incurred physically, mentally and financially. Haq said that she has been in contact with the head of public relations at the spa.
Whilst arguing her case, the spa had initially told Haq that they would investigate the matter. She had been arguing that the local masseuse she had been placed in the care of was inexperienced and led to her injuries.
However, Arammish, after its investigation, claimed that they had never had Haq as a client. They asserted that Haq’s photograph had been shown to their employees, but no one recalled the model coming in, further alleging that her appointment was not in their records.
On the other hand, Haq asserts she has witnesses to whom she had spoken before going to the spa and afterwards, once the injuries were visible. The spa offered to recompense her for her troubles through free procedures at their Gulberg outlet, such as a free “facial”. To this, the model replied: “I cannot sleep some nights because of the pain and taking up some complimentary services does not seem adequate or appropriate”.
She maintained that the spa had “upturned her life”, adding that she was “not allowed to walk” and that she had spent an exorbitant amount of money in physical therapy already.
Moreover, another client of Arammish, who wishes to remain anonymous, said that she had a similar experience recently, wherein she “got [her] back and leg muscles damaged” instead of being relaxed after the massage.
The client added that she was forced to stay on bed rest for a week. Showing her support to Haq, another model, Farwa Ali Kazmi, said that she always refuses to get massages from local masseuses to avoid these types of situations. The model opined that local masseuses are not certified, adding that “they’re not therapists”.
Haq said that she has forwarded the medical details and has repeatedly tried to contact the spa, but they have refused to reply. According to the call records between the model and Arammish, they last spoke on April 9.
Hafsah Haq took her complaints to social media in an effort to get the wellness spa’s attention. However, it emerged that the spa had blocked her on social media.
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