LAHORE: Senior journalist and South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) secretary general Imtiaz Alam files a petition to the stakeholders on Saturday, regarding criminal assault and harassment case of renowned activist Marvi Sirmed on a TV show of News One channel that is anchored by Nadia Mirza. In the petition, it is submitted and as evident from the recording of the show that before Marvi Sirmed could respond to earlier discussant’s remarks Senator Hamadullah of JUI interrupted her and increasingly became aggressive and abusive. He used extremely foul language against the honourable rights activist and columnist. He even tried to physically attack her. But the abuses he hurled are below any ethnicity and civility. Blaming her for responding to his misbehaviour adds salt to the injury and represent patriarchal approach that women should submit to men’s beating (light or otherwise).
SAFMA requested the chairman Senate to form an inquiry committee to look into the conduct of Senator and take appropriate action to keep the prestige of upper house of Parliament.
Also read: JUI-F senator tries to attack Marvi on live TV show
They appealed to JUI chief Maulana Fazalur Rehman to take a serious notice of the conduct of its member and forcefully discourage his followers and leaders from granting religious sanction to the widespread violence against women. It’s a matter of concern that JUI is now been seen as prompter of violence against women, even if you treat your women at home with great respect; and requested Pemra Chief to issue a notice to News One Management regarding the violation of Pemra ethics code and give appropriate punishment to the television that preferred not to seek break law when a notable lady was being humiliated and then aired it without fully editing the objectionable content and ugly scenes.
The Anchor and her production team and the top management should apologise on its TV to the lady and the audiences who were offended by such an ugly program for the sake of rating; it is to discourage media from not progressing from verbal rape to actual rape on the screen.
A request has been made to IG Police Islamabad to register an FIR against Hamadullah for harassing and physically threatening a woman in the petition.
They asked to call upon the parliament to take serious notice of increasing crime against and humiliation of women now on the rise across the country and immediately pass the pending law passed by Senate against violence against women and call upon people, media and civil society to join hands against violence against women and to bring an end to gender/based discrimination against women.
