JournalismPakistan.com | Published August 16, 2013 | Z.B. Saigol
Join our WhatsApp channel
KARACHI: For five hours, or thereabouts, yesterday a single gunman held Islamabad hostage, including hundreds of thousands of television viewers who sat glued to their seats throughout the mind-boggling confrontation that wavered from bizarre to downright insulting.
I say bizarre because it was surreal a la Alice in Wonderland as the gunman’s wife casually negotiated/mediated on his behalf and his two kids played on the grass in the nearby green belt even as he brazenly toted his weapons, and insulting because it was allowed to carry on for so long. There are a zillion questions to be asked about the incident.
First of all, how did this guy Sikander Whatshisname get into such a sensitive area of Islamabad brandishing such deadly automatic weapons – a Kalashnikov and a sub-machine gun – when there are police and security checkpoints at every ten yards of the city? Next, he almost made it to Constitution Avenue and this simply begs the question: How safe are the residents of Islamabad from real terrorists?
The man stopped his car on Jinnah Avenue and fired shots in the air. He then casually walked about even as police and hundreds of onlookers quickly gathered around. Nobody did anything. No attempt was made by the police to bring down this armed menace immediately. No attempt was made to keep the gathering crowd of onlookers away.
There was an amazingly casual air about the whole affair as the gunman quickly denounced the West, Nawaz Sharif’s government and Pakistani society in general, declaring that there was no place for vulgarity and immorality and demanding that Islamic Law immediately be implemented in the whole country.
SSP Operations, Islamabad, Dr. Rizwan tried to reason with him but the man refused any and all efforts to listen to sense even though it was pointed out that he had placed his children in danger.
Eventually, the gunman was distracted by PPP leader Zamurad Khan who tried to disarm him, and was shot in the leg and stomach as police finally opened fire. It was said the police had orders to bring the gunman in alive. Two police officers were injured as he fired back.
The man was arrested and so was his publicity greedy wife. Reports say that Zamurad has now offered to adopt the gunman’s children as both their parents will be going to jail. Unbelievable!!
And we know this all because….
For five straight hours every TV channel in the country showed nothing else. In a scramble to better their rating and outdoing each other the electronic media zeroed in on the venue of the incident and telecast live from there, every second of every minute. In between talk show hosts hastily found guests to discuss the enfolding drama.
Some media men talked to the gunman asking him why he was doing what he was doing, thereby giving him the opportunity to air his misplaced beliefs and reasons for taking matters into his own hands and how.
The gunman casually smoked, drank a beverage, strolled about with his guns, chatted with his kids in the back seat of the car, his wife frequently mediated on his behalf by cell phone and in person and it carried on and on.
The police stood by in droves and did nothing. The crowd became larger with every ticking minute. It could have been a music concert.
The media got more and more hysterical and dramatic. Big words were used. Cynicism and witty remarks flew thick and fast. And somewhere, in between, there were moments where one even detected sympathy for the gunman.
The viewers hung on to every minute of every development. The media continued to play it up.
Did they do right?
I think not.
It is my opinion that in their rush to push up their viewer ratings they would stoop to any level to inch ahead of each other no matter what the consequences or fallout of their actions.
Today, by dedicating five hours of coverage to this obviously disillusioned man they have also given license to other similar half-crazed or ideologically spoon-fed individuals to pursue and advocate their whims with the country looking on via TV news channels.
This man should have been thirty five seconds of local news… a voice over. Not even a report.
Now, God knows how many others like him will be looking for their five hours of fame on television.
Today, for sure, better sense again deserted Pakistan’s news channels and those that run them. Let’s see what it will be that will top this ridiculous event and the even more irresponsible news coverage.
February 26, 2025: An in-depth analysis of the Punjab Government's excessive self-promotion through media, costing taxpayers millions while masquerading propaganda as achievements.
February 25, 2025: The Punjab government faces criticism for spending millions in taxpayer money on misleading front-page advertisements across major Pakistani newspapers, raising serious questions about media integrity and public resource management.
January 23, 2025: An in-depth look at the recent scuffle on a Pakistani talk show, its implications for media ethics, and the urgent need for TV channels to uphold decorum during debates.
December 18, 2024: A critical examination of dangerous medical misinformation broadcast on Pakistan Television, exposing how political propaganda can potentially harm cancer patients by spreading false treatment narratives.
December 17, 2024: Geo News faces criticism after a homophobic tweet targeting Richard Grenell, a Trump advisor advocating for Imran Khan's release, which was subsequently deleted.
November 29, 2024: Suno TV faces criticism for targeting senior journalist Matiullah Jan with a smear campaign following his controversial abduction and arrest. This raises serious concerns about media ethics and press freedom in Pakistan.
August 17, 2024: A viral video exposes a shocking reality about Pakistani media, where fake news circulates unchecked. The clip, featuring a false report on the arrest of former IG of Jails, Shahid Saleem, highlights the pervasive issue of yellow journalism and raises questions about news credibility.
July 25, 2024: Dr. Omar Adil's sexist remarks against female journalists, including Gharidah Farooqi, have ignited widespread criticism, calling for full accountability and stronger actions against misogynistic language in the industry.
April 11, 2025 Sindhi journalist AD Shar was brutally murdered in Khairpur, Sindh. His body was found dumped on Handiyari Link Road. PFUJ has declared a three-day mourning period and demanded justice.
April 10, 2025 The Azad Jammu and Kashmir government has filed a case against The Daily Jammu & Kashmir and its staff for alleged fake news, drawing condemnation from PFUJ and IFJ, who demand immediate withdrawal of the FIR and an end to media repression in Pakistan.
April 08, 2025 Journalist Arzoo Kazmi alleges that Pakistan's state agencies, including the FIA, have blocked her CNIC, passport, and bank account while threatening her. She calls it a direct attack on journalism.
April 07, 2025 The Islamabad High Court has directed IG Islamabad to produce journalist Ahmad Noorani’s missing brothers, as the Ministry of Defence denies custody. SIM activity was traced in Bahawalpur, and investigations into their suspected abduction continue.
April 07, 2025 Journalist and Raftar founder Farhan Mallick has been granted bail by a Karachi court in a case concerning anti-state content aired on his YouTube channel. He still faces separate charges related to an alleged illegal call center and data theft.