Video of female reporter being brutally slapped on live television by a Pakistani national guard goes viral inciting angry protests from people on social media
Watch video: Pakistani cop slapping woman reporter on live TV gets Twitterati raging
Videograb of Saima Kanwal in the middle of her live broadcast in Karachi, Pakistan, before the trooper hit her. Pic courtesy Twitter
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A woman TV reporter was slapped by a constable in Karachi in a government office. The act was caught on the security camera and the footage went viral on social media, forcing authorities in Pakistan to order a probe.
Interior minister Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan ordered the inquiry after a female anchor for a local television channel was slapped by a Frontier Corps constable at the office of the National Authority for Database Registration (NADRA), officials said.
"Minister Khan has been informed about the incident and he has ordered an inquiry. A complete footage of the incident has been dispatched to him," officials were quoted as saying in the local media. The constable was also seen resorting to aerial firing to scare away the people who were present in the NADRA office at that time.
The viral video has divided Pakistan with many speaking out against the brutality of the security guard but also questioning the aggressive behaviour of the reporter as well. “Her behaviour was also not proper and she should not have provoked the guard,” Fazil Jamali, the President of the Karachi Press Club, said.
The video shows the reporter, Saima Kanwal, and her cameraman trying to enter the NADRA office in Liaquatabad when she shouts loudly on camera that the guards were misbehaving with the people and also with her cameraman. The video shows her confronting the guard constantly and warning him to stay away from the cameraman.
Emphasising her right to report the news, Kanwal diverts her camera to the trooper, in a bid to shame him.
“Don’t you have a mother or sisters? Don’t you have shame treating people like this,” the reporter asks the constable as she is seen tugging at his badge before he turns around and slaps her and shots are fired. The reporter, who works for the Karachi based K-21 channel, said she had gone to the NADRA office after getting complaints about the public facing hardships.
“Gulbahar police have registered a case against the FC personnel over charges of conducting aerial firing and assaulting modesty of the female reporter of K-21 TV channel by slapping her," police told Pakistani media.
The guard has now disappeared but a FIR has been filed against him on the complaint of the reporter. However, the police have also filed a counter FIR against the reporter on the complaint of the NADRA office head which charges her with obstructing official duty and tearing the uniform of the guard.
HERE'S THE VIDEO:
Anchor person Saima Kanwal & reporter of K-2, news channel being manhandled by FC men. @Xadeejournalist @HamidMirGEO @shazbkhanzdaGEO pic.twitter.com/PauedLjwm9
— Hani Qureshi (@haniqureshi1) October 20, 2016
Twitterati reacted with anger at the cop's violent actions against a woman.
HERE'S WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY:
Shame on
— Sameer khan (@Best786Khan) October 21, 2016
Pakistani paramilitary policeman filmed slapping a woman journalist pic.twitter.com/U0OTYjQfGN
#PressFreedom: #PakistaniPoliceman Slaps Woman Reporter During Live Broadcast In Karachi https://t.co/vHsORvK9Hc
— Linda Hemby (@LindaHemby) October 21, 2016
This is so shocking. A Pakistani policeman slaps a reporter on national television https://t.co/ZKc1Kii3ES
— Soumyadipta (@Soumyadipta) October 21, 2016
#Law exists in #Sindh ? Pakistani Policeman Slaps Woman Reporter During Live Broadcast In Karachi... https://t.co/re4DhP0Lf5
— Mansoor Qadir Keerio (@Mansoor_keerio) October 21, 2016
SINDH GOVT must order withdrawal of case against Saima Kanwal Otherwise history might remember this dispensation as Govt of woman beaters.
— Senator T Mashhadi (@SenatorMashhadi) October 21, 2016
We are with Saima Kanwal she was speaking for people like us #NADRA #saimakanwal
— Mehvish Zaryab (@MehvishHabib95) October 21, 2016
Condemn the physical attack on the reporter Saima Kanwal and her team. Action shd be taken against the culprits. https://t.co/Ouqy7RWbzw
— Saman JafriسÙÂÂu00c2u0085ÙÂÂu00c2u0086 جعÙÂÂu00c2u0081رÛÂÂu00c2u008c (@SsamanJay) October 20, 2016
Strngly cndnm shmful bhviur of scurty prson who slpped female anchor 'Saima Kanwal' today at Nadra khi no action has been takn yet by sniors
— Rubina Ibrahim Zehri (@zehriRubina) October 20, 2016
The journalist also took to Twitter to have her say. She claimed that she was attacked because of her gender and that she would prove that women weren't weak.
I was attacked just because I'm a woman. I won't despair. I'll show them todays women aren't weak anymore, they are stronger than you think!
— SAIMA KANWAL (@iamSaimaKanwal) October 21, 2016
She felt the attack was on truth.
I'm a journalist. And being a journalist I was only doing my duty to present truth to the nation. The attack on me is an attack on truth!
— SAIMA KANWAL (@iamSaimaKanwal) October 21, 2016
HERE'S A GUY WHO THINKS BOTH ARE IN THE WRONG
Some are supporting security personal and some are supporting Saima Kanwal. However I think both were wrong in their attitude/action #NADRA
— Mubashir Mahmood (@mubashirmahmood) October 21, 2016
(With Agency Inputs)
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