New Delhi: Pakistani journalist Asma Shirazi wrote a column for the BBC website this week, criticising Pakistan government’s mishandling of the country’s economy. She did not even name PM Imran Khan, and yet has faced government and social media fury. Why?
Because she mentioned goats, pigeons, puppets and needles.
“Whether the black goats are beheaded or the blood of pigeons is shed, the puppets are hung or the needles are pricked, the economy is not going to recover while the demands of the economy are demanding change,” Shirazi wrote in her BBC Urdu column Tuesday.
Shirazi’s column was widely criticised by members of the political establishment in the three days since, the most significant of which came from PM Khan’s Special Assistant on Political Communication Shahbaz Gill.
In a 30-minute press conference Thursday, Gill lashed out at Shirazi for the criticisms of the government made in her column.
According to Aaj.tv, Gill accused Shirazi of tarnishing the image of Imran Khan’s wife Bushra, questioned the credibility of the BBC for publishing her column, and implied that the journalist made these criticisms out of desperation because she had failed to unearth a single scandal involving PM Khan since his election in 2018.
According to a Dawn report, Gill alleged that Shirazi enjoyed “close ties” with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz vice-president Maryam Nawaz and said that political criticism should have a “limit”.
Earlier on Wednesday, Gill had expressed similar sentiments in a tweet against Shirazi.
دماغ تو اللہ کی دین ہے۔ چھوٹا دے یا بڑا دے۔ لیکن اس دماغ کو چند ٹکوں پر بیچ دینا ہمارے اپنے ہاتھ میں ہوتا ہے۔ مریم کے کہنے پر ایسے الفاظ لکھنا اور چھپنا آذادی صحافت کے پیچھے۔سرکاری مال پر کون پلتا ہے وہ یہ قوم دیکھ چکی۔میں نے آج تک دو عمرے کئے دونوں اپنے پیسوں سے کئیےاور آپ نے ؟ https://t.co/Ya0lJp1zRJ
— Dr. Shahbaz GiLL (@SHABAZGIL) October 19, 2021
Gill’s press conference has proven to be controversial and he has drawn a lot of flak. An editorial in thenews.pk, for instance, termed it as “dangerous” and “containing direct attacks” on Shirazi.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan tweeted: “HRCP is appalled by @SHABAZGIL’s slurs against senior journalist @asmashirazi and his attempts to disparage her professional and personal integrity. Such behaviour reflects the govt’s regrettable antipathy towards critical reportage, which is every journalist’s right”.
HRCP is appalled by @SHABAZGIL's slurs against senior journalist @asmashirazi and his attempts to disparage her professional and personal integrity. Such behaviour reflects the govt's regrettable antipathy towards critical reportage, which is every journalist's right. pic.twitter.com/lITaCxFaVM
— Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (@HRCP87) October 21, 2021
“Shahbaz Gill’s vile press conference against @asmashirazi is a new low for this Government. And given their already atrocious record on media freedom, this is saying a lot,” activist Reema Omer said in a tweet.
Shahbaz Gill’s vile press conference against @asmashirazi is a new low for this Government
And given their already atrocious record on media freedom, this is saying a lot
— Reema Omer (@reema_omer) October 21, 2021
Sad to see how a very professional/respectable journalist Asma Shirazi is been subject to (fake) trolling allegedly on behest of Govt ! Advocates of Riasat Madina shall at least learn something from the sunnah of the Prophet PBUH , where the worse enemy was treated with respect!
— Kamran Shahid (@FrontlineKamran) October 21, 2021
However, Gill also received a great deal of support and agreement from others online as well as from other politicians.
Human Rights Minister Shireen Marazi accused the BBC of being biased towards India, and stood by those remarks even after the International Federation of Journalists criticised her.
Actually I have maintained for a long time that BBC is a closet Bharat Broadcasting Corporation!they would run strategically placed Indian Army ads during Kargil at peak times!! Sad to see @asmashirazi reduce herself to such pathetic and downright low life writing! https://t.co/PglP72IWO5
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) October 19, 2021
I stand by my right to respond to @asmashirazi – no abusive language was used nor was it an "attack"! Absurd to paint it as such. I have a right to respond & critique without abuse. There is nothing to apologise about. Perhaps she shd apologise for unsubstantiated allusions made! https://t.co/f4fa3rnpoa
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) October 20, 2021
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI)’s official Twitter handle also hit back at Shirazi’s column, by uploading a video of her with former PM Nawaz Sharif, labelling her as “obedient” towards a “Certified Chor” and “Absconder”.
Dear Asma Shirazi, how do you explain this much obedience to a Certified Chor and Absconder? pic.twitter.com/KBYsL6LlRx
— PTI (@PTIofficial) October 19, 2021
Dear Asma Shirazi, is Hajj Corruption scandal not a big issue for you? What about the corruption of Absconder Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam who said (lied) "Meri London mein tou kia, Pakistan mein bhi koi property nahi"? pic.twitter.com/VJiCbeG0c4
— PTI (@PTIofficial) October 19, 2021
Several users re-shared the video in support of PTI and the political establishment.
Asma Shirazi is only following her leader instruction.. pic.twitter.com/yxzRugiiMW
— Zahra Khan (@ZKhaanAli) October 19, 2021
#حجاب_میں_لپٹی_طوائف
@asmashirazi #بائیکاٹ_سرکاری_حاجن#سرٹیفائیڈ_مجرم_آزادکیوں
Is this defination of journalism?
— ?nishi ?? (@nishamir) October 20, 2021
Asmashirazi has always been a partisan journalist.
SHe has always tried to prove his loyalty to PML-N.
If she love PML-N and Nawaz Sharif so much, then join PML-N and work as their spokesperson.#بائیکاٹ_سرکاری_حاجن pic.twitter.com/2vyM4Kk09D
— Waqas Akhter ? (@waqasakhter077) October 20, 2021
“Asma’s experience extends beyond the ruling party’s tenure in government and she has frequently been targeted for her principled and vocal stances. In the past three years, however, we have observed that intimidation campaigns against critical journalists have intensified under the current government,” said Women in Journalism.