Federal Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi is seen manhandling BBC journalist Mobeen Azhar for asking tough questions.
Azhar shared the video of his conversation turning into an argument with the minister and later on leading to his manhandling by security personnel.
The journalist started off the conversation explaining to the minister how he and his team have been trying to reach out to him and arrange an interview. Azhar asked Solangi regarding press freedom in Pakistan.
“Are you worried about the state interfering with Journalists?,” asked the BBC journalist. Instead of responding to the question, Murtaza Solangi accused a BBC journalist of forcing him into an interview. To which the journalist responded by assuring him that he had been trying to arrange an interview.
Solangi said that the interview could not be arranged due to a trust deficit between both parties, referring to an experience with BBC. The journalist assured him that his interview would be treated fairly and accurately.
In response to the second question put up by Azhar, Solangi got infuriated and said, “act like a BBC journalist and not Paparazzi.” He even tried to grab the phone of the journalist.
https://x.com/Mobeen_Azhar/status/1759216979716497916?s=20
Murtaza Solangi refused to respond to the question upon which the journalist asked why he agreed to the interview when he did not want to answer his questions.
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The minister asked why should he respond to questions, asking if he had given any time for the interview.
Murtaza Solangi gave his rebuttal in an interview saying that “I am no stranger to giving an interview to the media as I have been appearing on numerous local and international TV channels since assuming the charge of caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting.”
He denied that any time for the interview was given to the journalist. Solangi said that they have not taken any action against the journalist despite his uncalled-for behavior.