Pakistan: The targeting of our member Asma Shirazi has intensified with impunity. We expect better from Imran Khan’s new Pakistan

PAKISTAN, ISLAMABAD, July 7 — Our CFWIJ Pakistan member Asma Shirazi has been under attack once again. This time the threat has moved from the online space to the physical space, risking the safety and freedom of not only Asma but also her family.

There have been two new break-in attempts at Asma’s home in Islamabad, once while she was away from the country and once when she was back home. Both break-ins had eye-witnesses, have been reported and assessed by the relevant police department, and indicate an attempt to intimidate and silence Asma Shirazi.

This raises concerns for the Coalition For Women In Journalism and we demand the govt to a) investigate these particular attacks, b) find methods to stop the online trolling that Asma and other journalists have been facing. These incidents are indicative of the risk journalists like Asma are facing in the country, and obstruct their ability to do fair and unbiased journalism.

Asma has time and again been trolled wildly in Pakistan’s online spaces and on the airwaves on some pro establishment news channels. This all started last year before elections when Asma, as journalists do, was going to interview former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Since then, there have been several unprecedented online campaigns against Asma by namecalling her, accusing her of biased journalism and corruption, while she has only attempted to bring all sides of the story to the fore. This is her job; bringing all voices on the forum, in fact, is in the public interest.

These break-ins into our colleague’s home have also caused undue harm and stress to Asma and her family, including her little children.The previous attempts to silence Asma Shirazi have led to an environment that we find to obstruct the nation’s right to free press. This kind of treatment of journalists, should not be allowed in a country that is recognized as a democracy.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism, with our global team, stand in support with Asma Shirazi and all women journalists trying to do their job. With sincere hopefulness, we urge Pakistan’s PM Imran Khan in the new Pakistan, to ensure safety to Asma Shirazi. One important element of doing so would be for the government to find perpetrators behind threats both online and offline and punish them for obstructing the public’s right to free and fair journalism.

We urge the government to invest solid efforts to put a stop to impunity when women journalists get attacked this way. We look forward to seeing visible efforts in this direction and will stay tuned for the results.

Signed, The Coalition For Women In Journalism

Kiran Nazish, Sulome Anderson, Alessandria Masi, Luavut Zahid, Afia Salam, Marvi Sirmed, Gharidah Farooqi, Ayesha Tanzeem, Arifa Noor, Maria Memon, Beena Sarwar, Tanzeela Mazhar, Nida Karra, Farhat Javed, Amber Shamsie, Maira Imran, Munizae Jahangir, Nosheen Abbas, Nighat Daad, Sahar Habib, Sara Farid, Raza Rumi, Saba Eitizaz, Asma Shirazi.

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The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world, and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.

Follow us on Instagram @womeninjournalism and Twitter @CFWIJ.

Our website is WomenInJournalism.org and we can be reached at press@womeninjournalism.org