Asma Shirazi Targeted in The Lead Up to Election For Reporting on ‘‘All’’ Sides
Timeline of Events
2018
July 13
An online smear campaign was initiated against Asma after she posted a picture of herself on the same plane as Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz. The picture was from their flight back to Pakistan, subsequent to which they were arrested for their role in the Avenfield Reference Case.
July 15
As Election 2018 approaches, these online attacks are intensifying. While both male and female journalists face harassment online, women are particular targets of sexually explicit comments and threats of rape. In some instances, we have documented trolls copy-pasting faces of female journalists on sexually explicit images, at times pornographic images. There have been many threats of murder and rape, specifically targeting women journalists. Journalist Asma Shirazi — who is also a member of CFWIJ Pakistan — faced vitriolic comments online because she interviewed Pakistan’s ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif who is now in jail for corruption.
July 17
Video bites featuring Asma with Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz began circulating on social media. The video clips were edited in a manner where it seemed as though Asma was having some secret discussion with the ousted prime minister, who can be heard complaining that an interview he gave never went on air, and Asma explaining the issues that led to it getting no airtime.
In reality, the discussion took place in a joint press conference with multiple journalists. Asma had only been addressing concerns in general and had not been commenting on any commitments she personally made to get airtime for any interview.
2019
February 4
Asma was accused of being on Sharif’s payroll and the attacks haven’t seemed to stop since.
February 5
Asma Shirazi was targetted by Punjab chief minister’s spokesman Dr. Shahbaz Gill when she appeared on Nasim Zehra’s talk show on 24 News HD.
July 7
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.
October 21
A video shared on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) official Twitter page attacked journalists Asma Shirazi and Hamid Mir for their views on Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam-Fazl’s (JUI-F) Azadi March and the current state of affairs in Pakistan.
2021
June 3
A petition for treason charges was registered against journalists Asma Shirazi and Hamid Mir, reportedly by supporters of the current government, and it appears likely that it will be heard in the court. The journalists were targeted following Hamid Mir’s criticism of the military.
October 20
Asma was targeted with another organized troll campaign. Ruling party Pakistan Tehreek Insaf posted a video in reaction to a column penned down by Asma for BBC Urdu. PTI’s official Twitter handle tried to portray Asma as someone obedient to an absconder (referring to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif). Right after the tweet, Asma was targeted with a barrage of abuse, threats and accusations by government-backed trolls.
