Thread by @Benazir_Shah

"As ruling party fans spew online abuse, Pakistan’s female journalists call for government action."

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) writes about the online abuse and trolling women in media face in Pakistan. #AttacksWontSilenceUs
cpj.org/2020/09/as-rul…

“I was scared of promoting my own work because of the barrage of accounts...accusing me of taking bribes from opposition parties. So I stopped sharing my story, because it wasn’t worth it" - Ramsha Jahangir tells CPJ. #AttacksWontSilenceUs
cpj.org/2020/09/as-rul…

Women journalists "are asking the government to act – not in the form of new legislation – but to embrace the norms of press freedom and stop attacking the character and integrity of journalists whose reporting they don’t like." #AttacksWontSilenceUs
cpj.org/2020/09/as-rul…

“It takes a mental toll,” Mehmal Sarfraz, co-founder of news site The Current and a leader in efforts to bring the issue to the government, told CPJ.

“What are we supposed to do? Are we supposed to leave the media?" #AttacksWontSilenceUs
cpj.org/2020/09/as-rul…

The hearing at the NA committee on August 18, "was the first result of a rare and public show of solidarity of women journalists, who issued a joint letter on August 12 asking for government action to stop the harassment." #AttacksWontSilenceUs
cpj.org/2020/09/as-rul…

"Reached by CPJ via messaging app, Shireen Mazari initially said an interview would be possible, but did not respond to repeated phone calls or messages."

"Shahbaz Gill did not respond to CPJ’s email request for comment."
cpj.org/2020/09/as-rul…

For Gharidah Farooqi the harassment began when a politician publicly accused her of having an affair with a government minister.

“I could not land myself at any other TV channels because most of the leading channels were advised not to hire me."
cpj.org/2020/09/as-rul…

“It was like a little ‘Me Too’ campaign about women in media, everyone is telling a story,” Asma Shirazi. #AttacksWontSilenceUs
cpj.org/2020/09/as-rul…

Bilawal B. Zardari, who chairs the NA’s Human Rights Committee, said he was struck by the women’s testimony, calling it an “eye opener.”

“None of the members ...really understood the gravity of the situation until we heard from the women themselves." cpj.org/2020/09/as-rul…