Samaa TV’s senior journalist Syed Kouser Kazmi is coming under intense criticism on social media for lashing out at female Overseas PTI activists in London and exchanging derogatory abuses with them.
Videos of the incident are going viral on social media where the senior journalist can be seen hurling shocking abuses at the female activists who were protesting outside the residence of PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif.
PTI activists have always protested outside Nawaz Sharif’s residence in London where the PML-N supreme leader has been living since 2019. Also, ever since PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz went to London, PTI activists have become more active and are always present outside the Sharif residence in London, chanting slogans, etc.
Read more: Overseas PTI activists get attacked while talking to Junaid Safdar
This time around, the female PTI activists and journalist Kouser Kazmi ended up in a heated argument, resulting in the journalist viciously lashing out at the activists.
Kouser Kazmi faces backlash
Kouser Kazmi’s videos are going viral on social media and netizens, along with PTI leaders and members from the journalistic community, are condemning the incident, claiming that it goes against the ethics of journalism.
“It is the worst incident in the history of journalism that Kouser Kazmi is abusing a woman. The even bigger tragedy is that the journalists on the spot are not forbidding him. What a tragedy that this incident happened in London, the biggest center of freedom of the press in the world,” journalist Muhammad Akram tweeted.
تاریخِ صحافت کا بدترین واقعہ ہے کہ کوثر کاظمی ایک خاتون کو بہن کے مقدس رشتے کا نام لے کر غلیظ ترین گالی دے رہاہے۔ اِ س سے بھی بڑا المیہ یہ ہے کہ موقع پر موجود صحافی کوثر کاظمی کو منع نہیں کر رہے۔ کیسا المیہ ہے کہ یہ وقوعہ دنیا بھر میں آزادئ صحافت کے سب سے بڑا مرکز لندن میں ہوا۔😢 pic.twitter.com/w8x5AhxNdZ
— اکرم راعی Akram Raee (@AkramRaee) October 17, 2022
“I had heard that journalism is a sacred profession, it is worship, but now journalism is ready to be sold like a prostitute in any room and those who sell it are the same characters who unfortunately are in journalism who sell their pen, faith, soul, heart, morals, for a few ticks,” PTI leader and former Deputy Speaker of National Assembly Qasim Suri tweeted.
سنا تھا کہ صحافت ایک مقدس پیشہ ہے عبادت ہے مگر اب صحافت کسی بھی کوٹھے پر ایک طوائف کی طرح بِکنے کے لیے تیار رہتی ہے اور اس کو بیچنے والے بھی وہی کردار ہوتے ہیں جو بدقسمتی سے صحافت میں ہوتے ہیں جو اپنا قلم، ایمان، روح، دل، اخلاق غرض یہ کہ سب کچھ چند ٹکوں کی خاطر بیچ دیتے ہیں۔ pic.twitter.com/O30Ednmpap
— Qasim Khan Suri (@QasimKhanSuri) October 17, 2022
President of PTI’s London Chapter Waqas Sagar released a video statement condemning the incident and also questioned how a journalist could act on behalf of a political party. He also urged organizations in the UK to take note of the incident.
Read more: Slanted Journalism: On-air advocates of political parties
strongly condemn Samaa News Bureau Chief Kousar Kazmi's attempt to insult a Pakistani woman and allegedly try to snatch her Naqaab. Journalist organizations of UK should take notice of this incident.
– President PTI London @Waqas_Sagar1pic.twitter.com/FfdPWeX4CT— PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (@PTIKPOfficial) October 18, 2022
Kouser Kazmi’s side of the story
Responding to the intense backlash, Kouser Kazmi also released a video statement where he told his side of the story. He said the journalists, including him, were present to cover the area and interview the political figures and the female activists were present on the other side of the road and were chanting slogans. However, the journalists present decided to not give them any response.
As per Kouser Kazmi, the female activists were irked by the lack of response and crossed the road to the journalists where they saw Kouser Kazmi representing Samaa TV which is owned by PTI dissident Aleem Khan. As a result, they chanted slogans against Kouser Kazmi and hurled heavy accusations against him and the channel.
Kouser Kazmi urged the protestors to stop targetting the journalists and protest against the political figures. However, the female activists turned their guns on Kouser Kazmi’s family apparently at which he lost control and lashed back.
کل پیش آنے والے واقعے کے اسباب جب صبر کا پیمانہ لبریز ہو گیا pic.twitter.com/zX6LqV8XtV
— Syed Kousar Kazmi (@SyedKousarKazmi) October 18, 2022