Zayn Malik's fans are questioning the authenticity of an Instagram post purporting to be from the singer's concerned younger sister Waliyha. Following the news that Zayn had quit the One Direction tour due to stress, a message appeared apparently written by 16-year-old Waliyha claiming that the pop star is "really hurting". But fans believe that the account - @azad.waliyha – is fake because it only has around 52,000 followers, compared to another account - @waliyha.azad – which has over 383,000. .
Fans have claimed the message from Zayn Malik's younger sister is a fake
In the message, ‘Waliyha’ – who appeared in the video for Story of My Life with Zayn – reveals her concerns for the singer and pleas with his supporters to pray for him. "Don't worry guys, Zayn is going to be okay very soon. All the stress has just gotten to him because of the rumours and hatred he has heard and received," it reads. "It's really hurting him, some people are just giving him too much. People need to realise my brother is human too, stop hating him because he hasn't done anything to anybody, except for defending himself because of what people heard of what he did, but it isn't true. "I love my brother to death, and I do not want to lose him for anything, it hurts me to see him not feeling good. Please pray for my brother, please help him because I know he will be okay. Please stop sending him hate and getting on him for what he has 'did'."
Zayn Malik (second left) with his One Direction bandmates
The statement refers to allegations that Zayn had been unfaithful to his fiancée Perrie Edwards. The singer was photographed holding hands with a young blonde, later identified by Hollywood Life as Lauren Rich, in Phuket, Thailand during a recent night out. Zayn promptly hit back at the allegations on his Twitter account. "I'm 22 years old… I love a girl named Perrie Edwards," he wrote. He then ended his short tweet with an apology: "I'm sorry for what it looks like x." The following day, the singer decided to leave the current One Direction tour and left Hong Kong to fly back to the UK to be with his family. A statement from the band's PR Simon Jones confirmed: "Zayn has been signed off with stress and is flying back to the UK to recuperate. The band wish him well and will continue with their performances in Manila and Jakarta." A source told the Sun: "Zayn finds it tougher than the rest of his bandmates dealing with fame. "Having his every movement scrutinised causes great anxiety and the pictures which surfaced with the fan yesterday was the final straw. "He did nothing wrong but the amount of criticism he received was simply too much. He needs to get away." Zayn's mum Trisha confirmed she has been in contact with her son by phone. "I have spoken to him and he's fine," she told the Mirror from outside her Bradford home. "I can't say where he is going to go."