Our Hall of Shame section comprises a curated collection of stories that shed light on shameful incidents within Pakistani media. This section includes a range of content, from blunders by newspapers and television channels to shameful acts involving journalists and guests on talk shows. You'll also discover instances of fake news being aired and other notable media missteps.
Some of these stories cover the latest developments, while others document older incidents, providing a historical perspective on the recurring issues in Pakistani media. We continually update the Hall of Shame to ensure a comprehensive archive of these significant, albeit regrettable, moments.
July 03, 2024: Journalist Umar Cheema retracts his criticism of a Samaa TV talk show, alleging the episode where public speaker Sahil Adeem and playwright Khalilur Rehman Qamar confronted a young woman was scripted and preplanned to boost ratings.
June 30, 2024: Journalist Umar Cheema condemns public speaker Sahil Adeem and playwright Khalil ur Rehman Qamar for their disrespectful behavior towards a woman on Samaa TV, sparking widespread public outrage and criticism of the TV channel’s administration. Shame on Samaa and the speakers.
October 10, 2023: After initially resisting, DawnNews TV airs an interview of missing PTI leader Sadaqat Ali Abbasi, sparking widespread condemnation and sadness. Senior journalists highlight ethical concerns over interviewing victims of enforced disappearances. The controversial airing raises serious questions about the integrity and freedom of journalism in Pakistan. Shame on DawnNews.
October 08, 2023: An awkward moment occurs on a talk show on A Sports when a question about ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan goes unanswered. Host Fakhr-e-Alam reads the question without naming Khan, leading to an uneasy silence from participants Wasim Akram, Moin Khan, Misbahul Haq, and Shoaib Malik. Khan's name and image are unofficially banned. The incident highlights the state of censorship in Pakistan. Shame on A Sports and the host.
August 15, 2023: Journalists criticize the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for excluding Imran Khan from its Independence Day video of cricketing legends. Imran Khan, who led Pakistan to its 1992 World Cup victory, was notably absent, sparking backlash from figures like Peter Osborne, Owais Tohid, and Moeed Pirzada. Shame on PCB.
July 09, 2023: Dunya News TV mutes prominent analyst Ayaz Amir's mention of the Vigo Pickup during the program Think Tank while ARY News faces criticism for blurring an image of Imran Khan during his meeting with an IMF representative. The incidents highlight the state of media censorship in Pakistan. Shame on Dunya News.
July 08, 2023: ARY News faces criticism and social media backlash for blurring the image of former Prime Minister Imran Khan during his meeting with an IMF representative. The controversial move sparks outrage and calls for boycott on Twitter, highlighting the debate around censorship and media ethics. Shame on ARY News.
April 26, 2022: Several journalists share a fake letter from former Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on social media, alleging he reprimanded an envoy for not arranging a call from the American president to then PM Imran Khan. The Foreign Ministry had previously confirmed the letter was fake. Shame on irresponsible journalists.
March 18, 2022: Prime Minister Imran Khan's adviser Shahbaz Gill uses highly abusive language against parliamentarian Dr. Ramesh Kumar Vankwani during a live show on Dunya News TV. Social media users criticize the anchor for not intervening, and female guests demand Gill be taken off the air. Shame on Shahbaz Gill and the host.
February 03, 2022: A protest by journalists over alleged rigging in the National Press Club elections turns into a violent scuffle, with journalists attacking each other. Social media videos show the chaos, as NPC members and panelists share conflicting accounts of the incident. Shame on journalists tarnishing their profession.
June 10, 2021: A viral video shows Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan, Special Assistant to Chief Minister Punjab on Information, slapping PPP parliamentarian Qadir Khan Mandokhel during a heated argument on the talk show 'Kal Takk'. The incident sparks controversy as Dr. Awan alleges Mandokhel used offensive language, while criticism mounts over the host Javed Chaudhry's handling of the situation.
November 27, 2019: The News faces scrutiny after copying a Dawn story verbatim, including the reference to Dawn itself. The incident, involving PTI leader Barrister Sultan Mehmood's by-poll win, sparks accusations of plagiarism in Pakistani journalism and embarrasses the paper.
October 20, 2019: Aamir Liaquat Hussain, host of 'Public Sub Janti Hai' on Public News, sparks controversy by comparing journalist Raza Abid to Dracula on air. The comment, made during a segment on Maulana Fazlur Rehman's upcoming sit-in, draws condemnation from Shaharyar Khan, a former president of the National Press Club, who demands an apology from the network.
July 14, 2019: The News on Sunday publishes a picture of journalist Mariana Baabar Pashteen in an obituary for Zuhra Karim, the late editor of She magazine. The blunder mars a tribute to Karim, a pioneer in women's journalism in Pakistan. Using a living journalist's photo in place of a deceased editor reflects poorly on the newspaper's professionalism.
June 24, 2019: Masroor Ali Sial, a senior leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), attacked journalist and Karachi Press Club President Imtiaz Khan Faran during a heated debate on a live talk show. The video, widely shared on social media, shows Sial pushing Faran to the floor and punching him. The incident draws significant criticism towards PTI.
May 03, 2019: Leading newspaper Dawn points to growing censorship in Pakistan, noting unprecedented pressure on editors to suppress stories and manipulate news angles. In an editorial, the paper condemns tactics such as smear campaigns, violence, abductions, and legal harassment used to silence dissenting voices.
February 28, 2019: False videos, images, and messages circulate widely on social media amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan. Fact-checkers are overwhelmed as misinformation spreads, exacerbating anger and fear in both countries. Social media becomes a hotbed of unverified news, pictures, and video clips.
May 05, 2018: May 2018: Sixteen news channels, among them Geo, Dunya, and Samaa get fined Rs1 million each for airing false news claiming the Lahore High Court imposed a ban on speeches by Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz. Regulator PEMRA issues show-cause notices to the erring channels and orders they broadcast apologies during prime time.
April 03, 2017: Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) issues a show-cause notice to Channel 92 News for airing a two-year-old clip of a Karachi school function as breaking news. The regulator accuses the channel of misleading viewers by implying indecent activities in schools. The school demands action against the reporter for his alleged role in tarnishing their image.
March 25, 2017: Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) issues show-cause notices to nine TV channels for airing baseless news regarding a plane crash near Rawalpindi's Kallar Syedan and face fines of Rs one million each. The channels broadcast the erroneous report between 8:00 pm and 9:00 pm violating regulatory standards.
February 24, 2017: A shocking blunder and collective shame for Pakistani media as 29 TV channels, including Geo, Dunya, and ARY, receive PEMRA notices for spreading false news about a bomb blast in Lahore, highlighting the urgent need for media accountability and ethical reporting.
July 24, 2016: Media outlets run investigative journalist Asad Kharal's images while reporting on the arrest of a namesake in Sindh. Channel 5 Television and Dunya newspaper link Kharal to a different individual arrested by paramilitary Rangers in Hyderabad. The news organizations apologize and Kharal cautions against solely relying on sources like Google for reporting.
July 09, 2016: Express News TV faces backlash after a reporter's unethical live report from Abdul Sattar Edhi's grave. Social media erupts, prompting the channel to apologize and vow corrective action. The incident sparks a widespread debate on journalistic standards.
July 01, 2016: Sahib Khan, a senior reporter at the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) in Karachi, accuses his bureau chief of pressuring him to retract allegations of discrimination based on religion. Khan claims he was barred from using the same utensils and drinking water as Muslim colleagues after they discovered his Hindu faith. The incident sparked backlash and demands for action against discrimination.
June 10, 2016: Rights activist Marvi Sirmed accuses JUIF leader Hafiz Hamdullah of abuse during the recording of a News One TV program. She describes the incident as 'traumatic,' detailing Hamdullah's offensive outburst and attempted assault.
July 31, 2015: The News journalist Amir Mir is accused of plagiarizing work by Newsweek Pakistan reporter Benazir Shah in an article on Lashkar-e-Jhangvi leader Malik Ishaq. Shah highlights the issue on Facebook, noting entire passages were copied without attribution.
March 22, 2014: Almost a quarter of the front page of the International New York Times' Asian edition, accompanying The Express Tribune, is left blank for Pakistani readers, omitting a picture of two young men in Quetta, allegedly Taliban, and Carlotta Gall's story 'What Pakistan Knew About Bin Laden.' The story, denied by ISPR, is conspicuously absent.
August 16, 2013: For five hours a single gunman holds Islamabad hostage, captivating television viewers with a bizarre and insulting confrontation. The media's sensationalist coverage of the standoff raises serious ethical concerns. Instead of responsibly reporting the incident, channels compete for ratings, broadcasting every moment live.
April 22, 2013: Following a Supreme Court order, a list of journalists benefiting from Pakistan's Information Ministry's secret fund under the PPP-led government from 2011 to 2012 is disclosed. The disclosure aims to probe government allocations and scrutinize media ethics. It highlights transparency issues and ethical lapses in media governance.
December 31, 2012: The year 2012 saw Pakistan's electronic media marred by scandals, from a disgraced televangelist's comeback to TV anchors embroiled in controversies and accusations of bribery, plagiarism, and unethical behavior. These incidents expose the deep-seated issues and lack of integrity within the media industry.
December 23, 2012: The Nation stirs controversy by publishing a front-page photograph deemed highly insensitive. It runs an image of Bashir Ahmed Bilour, a senior ANP leader and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa minister, struggling for life after being targeted by a Taliban suicide bomber in Peshawar. The graphic picture, displayed in four columns on Sunday's front page, draws criticism for its lack of professional judgment.
August 11, 2012: Reports of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government's plan to distribute cash among journalists cause divisions in Peshawar's journalistic community. The scheme, allegedly aimed at favoring certain journalists and avoiding negative press, is scrapped after PFUJ condemns it as a bribery attempt. Despite the cancellation, many journalists remain upset over their exclusion.
June 16, 2012: A scandal involving Dunya TV anchors Meher Bukhari and Mubashar Lucqman sends shockwaves through Pakistan's media landscape. Leaked footage exposes the duo's participation in a staged interview with property tycoon Malik Riaz, revealing a blatant disregard for journalistic integrity.
April 15, 2012: There's public outcry over the media's failure to properly cover the tragic burial of 138 Pakistan Army soldiers under an avalanche at Siachen Glacier. Initial shock turns to anger as national dailies bury the story and electronic media barely mention it, focusing instead on political scandals.