Pakistani News

The much hyped 2-day conference for woman journalists concluded today at National Press Club Islamabad and very sorry to say it is proved to be just another staged drama mocking none other than controversial Women Journalist Pakistan.

Before peeping into the details of the scripted drama and main actors; I, being one of the participants, am disappointed to the core to see the lies wrapped in colorful phrases stuffed in our ears just like forced policing be it moral or otherwise.

A quick peeping into the event’s mismanaged proceedings is enough to give you an idea why I am terming it a staged drama just to draw funds for own interests (in the long run) by Islamabad-based female journalists having NGOs beat.

To start with is faking of non-Journalists as media persons by the people involved in the entire episode of this so-called “Two-day Conference on Gender Discrimination and capacity building of woman journalists”. Can any of event organizers share the presentations or any material on this journalist email forum in support of their claim?

Although the women journalist list was unethically obtained from the SAFMA management, it is on record that hardly 20 woman journalists from across Pakistan had confirmed their arrival at the venue whereas the empty seats were filled by bringing ladies from NGOs, political parties (including Secretary Information of Women Wing, Pakistan Tahreek-Insaaf) posing them as women journalists. A huge group of headscarves and burqa-clad women including students and teachers of International Islamic University were brought to occupy the empty seats to give an impression that the entire hall is full of woman journalists attending all over the country and thus present the event as biggest gathering based on gender of the media persons. Good job, WJP !!!

The first session was on “Sexual harassment of women” though all key speakers were absent and when at last one known face Nasim Zahra showed up, she tried her best to promote Dunya News channel by narrating how she expelled an employee (from lower staff) for ogling at a female anchor. Now one wonders if Dunya or she as a matter of fact was so vocal against sexual harassment then why she did not mention Maheen Usmani case ? why she supported the Yousaf Beg Mirza in his endeavors to sexually target Maheen Usmani? When a female participant tried to ask question on Maheen issue, smart moderator changed the topic.

The most disorganized ever program it was with no functioning microphone available for the participants. One faulty microphone was being passed on to participants for questioning (which by the way never worked). The only well-organized thing was food aka lavish lunch as always in such programs as if we traveled all the way from Multan to Karachi to Peshawar to Lahore reaching NPC for filling the tummies ? A food for thought indeed.

One embarrassing situation was witnessed by women journalists attending the event from outside Rawalpindi/Islamabad when after the lunch, some men at the entrances of the venue of conference passed on vulgar remarks on every woman journalists in typical desi filmi manner. "Wow, kyaa mast chokari hai. Pink color to bahut suit karta hai is ko..." blah blah. Female guest participants assumed them as staff members of National Press Club and thus ignored.

Which to further utter shock came out as a prank played by Myra Imran and her groupies Saadia Khalid claiming “Those (LOFAR LAFANGEY) guys were actually hired by the women event organizers. We wanted you to know how sexual harassment feels". So-called leader of Women Journalist Forum revealed. Thank you ladies but for your kind information for you it might had been a fun to mock woman journalists who came from other cities but it was in such bad taste even for women like you.

The Bureau Chiefs, editors, senior journalists of different media organizations were portrayed as perverts and womanizers in a skit written by Myra Imran and performed by professional theater actors wherein below the belt language was used. To be honest, I, being a lady journalist, never heard any of my bureau chiefs, editors or senior male colleagues using such language for us or demanding such physical relations in my whole career. Interestingly Myra Imran's spouse himself is a senior journalist while father of Saadia Khalid works on a very responsible post in a state-owned news agency. May be, WJP leaders wrote the drama script according to their home experiences.

Though it was claimed that the event was not against male journalists but clearly it was conveying forming parallel women force dividing journalistic community and pitching against each other i.e Man Vs. Woman journalists. By - Javeria Haqi, Karachi