Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and erstwhile information minister Fawad Chaudhry misbehaved with journalist Matiullah Jan and other reporters, calling him a ‘gun for hire’, during a press conference when the journalist asked a question. Following Chaudhry’s insulting remarks, journalists recorded their protest and asked him to apologise. Fawad Chaudhry, however, showed no signs of regret and refused to apologise.
This is not the first time PTI leaders have insulted journalists for asking critical questions.
Earlier in March 2021, then Minister for Water and Power Resources Faisal Vawda lashed out at Matiullah Jan when the latter asked him when he gave up his American citizenship.
Vawda was surrounded by journalists after he came out of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) after hearing of the dual nationality case against him. When Matiullah Jan asked a simple question, the minister lost his cool and accused the journalist of sensationalism. “I know you need this [information] for your sensational vlogs.
Later, the minister took to Twitter and proudly shared the video, terming Matiullah Jan a ‘vulture of media’. “I will keep exposing others too,” he wrote.
The Supreme Court is currently hearing the sou motu case about the legality of the situation that emerged after National Assembly Deputy Speaker’s ruling rejecting the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan
This is bad journalism. The journalist kept interrupting him while he was making the statement. Fawad Chaudhry said that he will take questions after the statement but he kept interrupting. it was clear that the journalist was sent to create a scene. and this newspaper article is either written by someone who has not even watched the video of the incident or someone who is paid by the same people as that journalist.
In short, this journalist is doing paid journalism.