Who is Abeer Rizvi? Wife of Man Who Threatened to Rape a Flight Attendant Blames His 'Mental Health'

Model and actress Abeer Rizvi, the glamorous wife of jailed businessman Salman Iftikhar, has come to his defence just days after he was sentenced to 15 months in prison for threatening to rape and kill a Virgin Atlantic flight attendant during a mid-air meltdown.

Iftikhar, the founder of Staffing Match, was travelling in first class with one of his two wives and their children when he launched a vile tirade against the flight crew, shocking passengers and staff alike.

Yet Rizvi took to social media to appeal for compassion, writing: 'Mental health is not a joke. Behind every story, there's pain you don't see.'

Who is Abeer Rizvi?

Abeer Rizvi, who resides in Pakistan, manages a salon and shares glamorous photos with her half a million followers across TikTok and Instagram. Her IMDb biography notes that the 5' 10" (1.78 m) model has appeared in two Urdu films, Raasta (2017) and J.I.T (2024).

Rizvi, according to her Facebook profile, is a supermodel who lives in Pakistan. She was a winner of the 2012 Veet Miss Super Model competition. With a gorgeous and bold portfolio, she has become a highly sought-after model within the Pakistani fashion industry.

Rizvi Defends Husband's Actions

During an eight-hour flight in 2023, Abeer Rizvi's husband, Salman Iftikhar, unleashed a hateful tirade against Virgin Atlantic flight attendant Angie Walsh. Rizvi has since claimed her husband's mental health issues were the cause of his first-class outburst.

'Mental health is not a joke. Behind every story, there's pain you don't see,' Rizvi wrote on her Instagram Story Thursday. 'Before judging, try understanding,' she said. 'Be kind. Be human.' According to the Daily Mail, Iftikhar, the founder of recruitment firm Staffing Match, is married to both Rizvi and another woman, Erum Salman.

A Mid-Flight Tirade

On 7 February 2023, Iftikhar was flying from London, England, to Lahore, Pakistan. He was travelling with his wife, Erum Salman, and their three children when he became drunk and disruptive.

At the beginning of the flight's meal service, the 37-year-old father of three was drinking champagne in front of his kids. The Mirror reported that he then reached over the counter and started grabbing ice with his bare hands.

Cabin crew members told Iftikhar to return to his seat after he became unruly, but the passenger instead launched into a tirade. According to the outlet, Iftikhar screamed: 'Don't tell me what to do, you racist f–king bitch. I know where you are from in Cardiff.'

Iftikhar then tried to fight Tommy Merchant, a male flight attendant. He then escalated the situation even further by threatening Walsh, identifying the hotel room she would be staying in at the Avari Lahore Hotel.

According to the Mirror, Iftikhar shouted: 'The white sheep s–ing bitch will be dead. The floor of your hotel will be blown up, and it will disappear. You will be dragged by your hair from your room and gang-raped and set on fire.'

From The Sky To The Courtroom

Staff were eventually able to get the hotheaded executive to return to his seat, and he was permitted to leave the flight in Pakistan without police involvement. Iftikhar was later arrested by police in England on 16 March 2024, at his $1.2 million (£0.74 million) home in Iver.

After Iftikhar's arrest, the recruitment firm, Staffing Match, which Iftikhar and his wife, Salman, operated, filed for bankruptcy with $22.8 million (£16.97 million) of debt, according to the Daily Mail. Iftikhar admitted to making threats to kill and racially harassing Walsh, but he denied the harassment charges related to his altercation with Merchant.

A Brave Testimony

During a hearing at Isleworth Crown Court on Tuesday, Iftikhar was sentenced to 15 months in prison for his outburst. Walsh testified that the incident left her traumatised, forcing her to take 14 months off work as a result.

'I am a strong, brave, happy stewardess, and I loved my job. I am well-known within the company. I have been flying with Virgin Atlantic for 37 years. I was working when all flights were grounded on 9/11, and I've even flown into a warzone. But this incident has broken me,' she read in a victim impact statement.

'Never in my entire career flying for 37 years have I been sure what to do. I have had the best career in the world for 37 years. But he has taken that away from me,' she added.

Virgin Atlantic Supports Walsh's Courage

In a statement, Virgin Atlantic praised Walsh for her courage in speaking out during Iftikhar's court hearing.

'The safety and security of our customers and crew is always our top priority, and we take a zero-tolerance approach to any disruptive or abusive behaviour on board our aircraft,' a Virgin Atlantic spokesperson told The Post.

'We will always work closely with the relevant authorities and will not hesitate to seek prosecution for those individuals who cause disruption onboard through unacceptable behaviour.'

'We're incredibly grateful to Angie and our cabin crew onboard who dealt with this distressing situation in a calm, courageous and professional manner. We are proud of Angie for her bravery in court, and we will continue to offer her our full support.' Iftikhar's other wife, Erum Salman, has not publicly commented on her husband's jail sentence.