Harassment of women journalists: Complaints to be sent to FIA, says Bilawal

ISLAMABAD: Chairman Pakistan People’s Party and Chairman National Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Tuesday said the issue of harassment of women journalists would be discussed with the other political parties and the recorded statements would be pursued till their logical end.

“On this issue of online harassment of women journalists, anchors and commentators, the officials of Information Ministry and ISPR will also be called. If the PPP is unable to get justice for these women journalists, then it will approach the court,” he said while chairing a committee meeting at the Parliament House.

Leading woman journalists, anchors and commentators also recorded their statements with the committee.

The committee considered the complaints relating to threats given to female journalists and commentators through the social media and also gave an opportunity to the female journalists, who were invited to attend the meeting as special invitees, to brief the committee on their grievances.

Anchors Ghareeda Farooqi, Asma Shirazi, Amber Shamsi, Reema Omer, Benazir Shah, Munizae Jahangir, Tanzeela Mazhar, Aima Khosa, Ramsha Jahangir and Zebunnisa Burki recorded their statements.

Bilawal said raising voice against harassment was a difficult job in Pakistan adding that women journalists had shown great courage by raising their voice.

He said the perpetrators of harassment did not belong to a certain political party.

“The statements of women journalists would be sent out to the FIA,” he told the committee.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari the issue of harassment would also be discussed with other political parties and the recorded statements would be pursued till their logical end.