About 10 years back, I was called as a witness by the internal harassment committee in a media org. A complaint had been brought against a senior media personality, who had a pre existing reputation of behaving inappropriately towards women.
#MeToo The questions that I was asked had nothing to do with the conduct of the accused or the incident itself. ALL the questions were about the complainants' conduct & her performance at work. I was asked if I believed that the salary that she was drawing was justified.
#MeToo

Thread.
Thank you for taking an initial step. An important concern highlighted in the statement & demonstrated through testimonials was the use of representative's accounts to tag journalists as being 'fake' or accuse them of pushing 'an agenda’.
#AttacksWontSilenceUs
1/5

https://twitter.com/ShireenMazari1/status/1304514732234342401

Discrediting of journalists is done without offering any proof & often targets opinions (which are personal & can’t be fake opinions) Branding of journalists as 'fake news peddler’ by official or representative accounts triggers abuse & violence.
#AttacksWontSilenceUs
2/5

اسد عمر صاحد، کچھ فیکٹس درست کر لیں۔
پہلی سٹیٹمنٹ لکھنے والوں نے کوئی غلطی کی، نا مانی۔ اس پیٹیشن کو جن صحافیوں نے لکھا اور انڈورس کیا، ان کو پاکستان تحریک انصاف کے لوگوں نے، یا پاکستان تحریک انصاف کے نام پر ٹارگٹ کیا گیا۔ اس موقف پر آج بھی سب قائم ہیں۔

https://twitter.com/ahsankhan568/status/1304454234788765697

حال میں جارئ ہونے والا بیان، پہلے بیان کی تردید نہیں، تائید کرتا ہے۔
ہاں، نئے بیان میں شامل ہونے والے دیگر صحافیوں نے پاکستان تحریک انصاف کے ساتھ، ساتھ دیگر سیاسی جماعتوں کے کردار کے حوالے سے بھی بات کی ہے، یہ سیاست نہیں، اس موومنٹ میں مزید لوگوں کے تجربات کو شامل کرنے کی سعی ہے

At 17, I go to KU, fatherless & eldest among siblings, I travel in a bus for the 1st time & am touched, groped & pushed, so many times in the 15 minute journey that by the time I get to the University, I am too shaken to figure out which forms I need.
#MeraJismMeriMarzi At 18, a student at KU, I get used to being felt up. I spend the next 4 years commuting in Karachi public transport & loose count pf the number of times I am touched without consent.
#MeraJismMeriMarzi

What has followed journalists giving testimonials in NA is onslaught of hate & accusations of spreading ‘fake news’. It is fascinating how the eager beavers have taken up the Trump coined term and have weaponised it to suit their purpose. #AttacksWontStopUs Fake news is a term coined by President Trump to attack &discredit media. Unfortunately, given the state of ignorance & intolerance that is rampant, the term has been weaponised to attack any news & any opinion that doesn’t align with the narrative of power. #AttacksWontStopUs

Citizens Protection (Against Online Harm) Rules, drafted by PTA makes one thing clear - the goal is NOT to become China, it is to become North Korea. Snippets follow..
#SeriouslyNotKidding Social Media companies excepted to act within 24 hours (or within 6 hours in emergency) to remove or disable access to content reported by a government appointed "National Coordinator" (Btw the IT minister has 15 days to find this coordinator after the notification of rules)

Shout to my team at @mmfd_Pak who helped us publish six interesting & informative publications this year - Thank you @AmelGhanii , @SalwaRana4 , @hijakamran & @_vics_ for putting in so much effort.
Follow this thread for links to these publications
#TeamMMfD Our latest, authored by @hijakamran & edited by @AmelGhanii & myself, this @DRM_News publication presents some horrifying statistics about the experience & impact of online violence against women journalists
Click to access - digitalrightsmonitor.pk/95-women-journ…
@mmfd_Pak
#TeamMMfD