TIMELINE: Gharidah Farooqi - Organized Harassment Campaigns
Timeline of Events
Since 2016, Gharidah Farooqi has been a target of online abuse, primarily orchestrated by supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and conservative right-wing elements.
“In the last 3 years. Women Press Freedom has documented at least a dozen organized troll campaigns against Gharidah,” says CFWIJ and WPF founding director Kran Nazish. “This is the highest number of organized digital violence we have ever documented against a journalist in this region, after Rana Ayyub.”
This timeline meticulously traces the disturbing and deliberate onslaught of abuse that Farooqi has faced over the years, shedding light on the coordinated efforts aimed at silencing her voice and undermining her journalistic integrity.
2024
July 25
Prominent orthopedic doctor Omer Adil makes derogatory and sexist remarks against renowned journalist Gharidah Farooqi and other women media professionals during an online program hosted by vlogger Zohaib Saleem Butt. In response to the offensive comments, Farooqi initiates legal action. On July 26, she files a legal notice to Zohaib Butt, who subsequently issues a public apology.
January 31
Women Press Freedom documents a major surge surge in threats directed at Farooqi, including abusive tweets with slanderous hashtags. After examining an extensive dataset comprising information on hundreds of individuals targeting Farooqi, WPF and CFWIJ find it is a deliberate and organized effort to silence the journalist. The abuse is reported to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
2023
May 4
During an event commemorating World Press Freedom Day at the National Press Club in Islamabad, Farooqi appears as a guest at an event dedicated to slain Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif. Her participation causes an uproar among other participants. Later when a video on Twitter was shared showing her presence at the event, users left vile comments under the post.
January 20
Farooqi is yet again trolled by Twitter users for a comment she made about PTI founder Imran Khan. She is termed a liar by one of the users. The comment section of one of the many videos shared on YouTube is filled with abuse
2022
August 20
Farooqi is hit with yet another wave of online attacks, including organized online trolling by social media accounts purportedly linked to ousted prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
April 25
In a shocking and disturbing incident caught on camera, a man boldly brandishes a banner bearing a veiled rape threat directed at Farooqi.
February 17
After filing at least six complaints with the FIA, including one against a state minister, against abuse, Farooqi reveals on live tv she has yet to receive a response.
September 30
2021
September 30
Farooqi faces a second harassment campaign within the same month. The vile, deeply gendered campaign is based on false allegations and heresy in relation to a political scandal.
September 13
Farooqi is attacked once again by an organized troll campaign. Trolls bully her using edited clips from a TV program in which she discusses the cultural stereotypes incorporated in the Single National Curriculum (SNC).
March 4
Farooqi experiences a hacking attempt of her Twitter account following a statement of support by the Coalition For Women In Journalism that did rounds on Pakistan’s local media.
February 12
Trolls and harassers abuse Farooqi on Twitter after she wrote an opinion piece on Aurat March.
2020
September 14
PML(N) leadership, including Shehbaz Sharif and the party president's daughter Maryam Nawaz, attempt to discredit Farooqi. Party supporters are flooding Farooqi’s tweets with file messages in response.
March 13
Trolls and harassers abuse Farooqi on Twitter after she wrote an opinion piece on Aurat March.
2019
September 6
Farooqi’s pro-Kashmir tweets are reported by India.
March 22
Farooqi is bashed for a tweet in which she reported facts about the Christchurch mosque attacker in New Zealand. Her words are twisted and misused, leading to an orchestrated online campaign targeting Farooqi, calling for her abduction, rape, and murder. Most of these trolls are PTI supporters and ring-wingers.
March 22
Farooqi calls upon the FIA (Federal Investigation Agency), the Information Minister, and Prime Minister that she is safeguarded from the abuse she is facing. Her requests are ignored.
2018
October 4
Ruling party PTI’s state minister Zartaj Gul makes misleading remarks regarding Farooqi’s marital status online. Farooqi registers it as a cybercrime case. An onslaught of abuse against Farooqi online follows. No action is taken.
July 25
In the lead-up to Pakistan’s General Elections 2018, Farooqi is among the journalists who is subjected to online abuse. The journalists are wrongfully accused by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) supporters of being biased towards a rival political party Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz).
2015
June 5
A local website malign Farooqi for her clothing, urging the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority PEMRA to take notice.
