Press clubs and journalist unions across the country have condemned Dr. Shahbaz Gill’s comments regarding journalist Asma Shirazi. Gill has been banned from entry by all press clubs until he apologizes to Shirazi.
The Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Political Communication, Dr. Shahbaz Gill, allegedly accused senior journalist Asma Shirazi of insulting the First Lady Bushra Bibi in an article. Shahbaz Gill held a presser in connection with the editorial written by Shirazi for BBC Urdu, which criticized the government without naming any individual, including Prime Minister Imran Khan’s wife.
Gill said, “While criticizing, people forget that First Lady Bushra Bibi is a daughter of Pakistan first, then she is a mother and then a wife. If you have any proof Asma Shirzai Sahiba of all the things you have accused her of, then you have every right to report news if you have the proof of it, but don’t make news out of assumptions.” “If you dislike the prime minister’s family, you can hold a grudge against them, but there are ethical limits,” he added. Gill’s press conference attracted widespread condemnation on social media.
کراچی، لاہور، اسلام آباد، کوئٹہ اور پشاور پریس کلبز نے وزیر اعظم کے معاون خصوصی شہباز گِل کی جانب سے صحافی عاصمہ شیرازی @asmashirazi کے خلاف دھمکی آمیز بیانات کی مذمت کی ہے۔ آر آئی یو جے اور نیشنل پریس کلب اسلام آباد نے مشترکہ ہنگامی اجلاس طلب کر لیا pic.twitter.com/7BaWcdig1Y
— Shiraz Hassan (@ShirazHassan) October 21, 2021
Press clubs in Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, Peshawar, and Quetta will ban Gill’s entry unless he apologizes to Asma Shirazi for baseless allegations. Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) warned of serious consequences for the use of abusive and intimidating language against Asma Shirazi by Shahbaz Gill.
