Staff Report
KARACHI: In a joint statement by sixteen women journalists and commentators in Pakistan against online abuse and trolling by government officials and Twitter accounts “Women in the media are not only targeted for their work but also their gender. Our social media timelines are then barraged with gender-based sluts, threats of sexual and physical violence. These have been potential to incite violence and lead to hate crime, putting our physical safety at risk.”
Letter comprising on two pages further said that “Lately there have also been attempts to hack into the social media accounts of reporters and analysts, as well as limit our access to information. In some cases, journalists have been locked out of their social media accounts as a result of hacking attempts.”
In the letter, they have demanded that 1-immediately restrain its members from repeatedly targeting women in the media. 2-Send out a clear message to all party members, supporters, and followers, to desist from launching these attacks, whether directly. 3-Hold all such individuals within the government accountable and take action against them.
The letters were written by 16 famous female journalists and analysts.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and head of standing committee of the national assembly on Human Rights, have strongly condemned the harassment of women journalists. He called them for a briefing on the issue.
Meanwhile, Fouzia Shaheen, Executive Director of Women Media Center (WMC) in her statement said that WMC extending its support to effected female journalists. The Constitution of Pakistan and the law don’t allow any to harass women. “WMC always strives for the safety of female journalists, we will not tolerate any anti-women journalist act. We will be standing beside female journalists.” She added
