Heckling, deepfake, trolling: journalists targeted in multiple attacks

KARACHI: Harassment of three prominent journalists in separate incidents — the public heckling of Geo’s Shahzeb Khanzada abroad, an AI-generated video targeting Geo’s Benazir Shah and online trolling of The News/Geo’s Ansar Abbasi — has prompted condemnations from political leaders and media figures across party lines.

A recent video showing Geo’s TV host Shahzeb Khanzada being harassed while shopping with his family overseas sparked the first wave of reactions, with many online users assuming the heckler was a PTI supporter based on his remarks. The senior journalist avoided any confrontation and is seen as remaining calm throughout the exchange.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan was among the first to denounce the episode. “That was a sad incident, and I certainly don’t approve of it. It was very unfortunate that Khanzada sahib was booed while he was abroad with his family”, he said in a statement.

Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, speaking on Geo News’ Naya Pakistan, called it “highly condemnable”. “On behalf of the state, I assure Shahzeb [Khanzada] that we will trace who that man [harasser] was. It cannot be that someone is with [their] family and is harassed”, Tarar said.

Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb too termed the episode “shameful”, calling it “yet another filthy reminder of the mob mentality Imran Khan has carefully bred within [the] PTI”. She added: “This crowd does not lack manners, they were never taught dignity, decency or basic humanity. Their entire existence feeds on confrontation, chaos, and bullying. This is not politics it is brute thuggery masquerading as activism”.

The MQM-P’s Faisal Sabzwari also condemned the abuse, calling it a reflection of “filth that has flourished in politics over the past decade”.

Journalist Asma Shirazi described the heckling as “fascism and targeted harassment” by “zombies of a political party”, while the PPP’s Nasir Hussain Shah remarked: “Your actions have not affected [Shahzeb] Khanzada’s honour, but rather, those who taught you this behaviour. Shahzeb Sb is a courageous and high character journalist”.

Khanzada later posted a video addressing allegations against him, especially by the PTI’s Shahbaz Gill: “This is classic Shahbaz Gill. When he was minister he [was] caught lying several times and here again he is lying. I [am] reporting court proceedings but this is what I said just before it in the same show. These trolls actually don’t care abt facts, even if they go in favour of Imran Khan”.

In a separate incident, Federal Information Minister Atta Tarar took notice of a fake AI-generated video targeting Geo’s journalist Benazir Shah. The manipulated clip had been uploaded by an X account assumed to be supportive of the PML-N.

Tarar called the act “totally unacceptable and highly condemnable”, adding that “no one has the right to create or spread fabricated content or attempt to intimidate members of the press through defamation”.

Benazir Shah posted that an account followed by the minister had uploaded the video, though she stressed: “But as we’ve said before, we’ll say it again, attacks won’t silence us”. Tarar later clarified that he follows more than 1,900 accounts and does not endorse the behaviour of the one involved. He assured that appropriate action would be taken.

Meanwhile, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar also commented on the trolling of journalist Ansar Abbasi by the PTI’s official X account, which had quote-tweeted one of his posts. “Democracy ensures freedom of opinion....I have never believed in trolling....”, he said, adding that no one should be targeted in such a manner.