Chand Nawab - What goes around comes around

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published September 25, 2015 |  By Chatterbox

ISLAMABAD: “Karachi se Eid kay leeay… do teen kass kay thappar!!”

That’s not the way it goes you say, but isn’t it true? Sure Karachi Railway Police went a step too far when one of their personnel took it upon himself to land a couple of solid ones on the face of private TV channel reporter Chand Nawab after being thoroughly irked by the reporter’s bull dog-like persistence in accusing them of selling train tickets for 20 and 30 times the real value.

As the story goes, the reporter of the “Karachi se” and “Bajrangi Bhaijan” fame was sought by and alerted by the passengers. They insisted that he do something to help them and he did.

In his typical haranguing style, more akin to that of a nagging housewife, he went after the railway officials and especially the Railway Police with fired up enthusiasm, turning a complete deaf ear to what they had to say in defense.

The sad part is he abused his ‘fame’, notorious and ill-founded as that is. He ignored the golden rule of reporting, which is to report factually, get the story of both sides and not make accusations. His job was that of a news reporter not that of a judge.

Well one thing led to another, words were exchanged and then blows.

Later while speaking to a senior police officer, Chand Nawab once again accused the police of deliberately beating him up for questioning them about selling the tickets at exorbitant prices. The police office totally denied everything, including slapping him.

And I would not have filed this story for JournalismPakistan.com.

But….

In his harangue with the police officer he said: “Mein world famous reporter hoon!” (You can find this in a segment he has posted on his Facebook account.)

OMG!!

World famous?

I did not know that Pakistan and India constituted the world. Furthermore, famous for what?

Notoriety of a laughable, embarrassing variety would be more like it.

Let’s roll this back a bit. In 2006 Chand was trying desperately to record a P2C (Piece to Camera) to anchor his report on people leaving for their hometowns via trains at the Karachi Railway Station.  After numerous flubs and disturbances an irritated Chand finally managed to get it done.

One of his colleagues edited all his flubs together and put it on the web. It went viral.

It constituted everything a reporter should not do. His attempts at getting the job done were pathetic while also being extremely funny, it was also a lesson for all young professionals in what to avoid, including getting nasty, physical and abusive with onlookers.

The first time I saw the video it was featured on JournalismPakistan.com about three-and-a-half years ago. I was aghast that somebody could be so lacking in how to get his job done.

Then the big break came for Chand, ironically after he almost lost his job because of that video of his flubs. An Indian film director picked up on the video and incorporated it into his movie, thereby insuring Chand became a hit yet again… not for his reporting and not for being a good reporter, but for being the man who struggled to get a simple P2C done.

That is not fame.

Definitely not world fame.

Somebody needs to tell him what the word “notoriety” means.

Riding on that false sense of fame got him slapped a few days ago. But then what goes around comes around. A while back while doing another P2C, Chand suddenly lost his temper with a little boy who stepped out in front of the camera. In a flash, Chand reached out and slapped the kid.

And the incident at the railway station just brings everything full circle very nicely, proving rather ironically what goes around comes around!!.

Even a win can't hide Pakistan's structural collapse in cricket

 June 11, 2025:  Pakistan celebrated a narrow win over Bangladesh, but beneath the jubilation lies a deeper crisis—from sidelined veterans to a collapsing domestic structure—signaling an urgent need for cricket reform.

Journalists stage walkout at post-budget briefing over government's dismissive attitude

 June 11, 2025:  Journalists walked out of the post-budget press conference in Islamabad to protest the absence of a technical briefing and the government's dismissive behavior, calling it unacceptable and intolerable.

Legal storm brews as Dr. Nauman Niaz serves defamation notice on Shoaib Akhtar

 May 31, 2025:  Dr. Nauman Niaz has issued a defamation notice to Shoaib Akhtar over derogatory remarks made during a recent broadcast, reigniting a longstanding media feud between the two prominent figures in Pakistan.

HRCP urges complete repeal of PECA, citing threats to free speech and civil liberties

 May 30, 2025:  The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has demanded the full repeal of PECA, citing its vague language, coercive powers, and threats to free speech and digital rights in Pakistan.

PFUJ condemns murder of journalist Syed Mohammad Shah, urges immediate justice

 May 30, 2025:  The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has condemned the murder of journalist Syed Mohammed Shah in Jacobabad, calling for urgent justice and improved safety for media professionals in Sindh.

State within a state? Police block reinstated Jang employees from resuming duties

 May 26, 2025:  In Rawalpindi, police allegedly side with Jang Group to block 66 reinstated employees from resuming work despite court orders, drawing sharp criticism from unions and press freedom advocates.

PFUJ slams Jang Group's 'economic massacre' after mass firing of over 80 workers

 May 25, 2025:  PFUJ condemns the Jang Group's decision to dismiss over 80 employees in Rawalpindi, calling it an 'economic massacre.' The union warns of nationwide protests if workers are not reinstated.

Labor rights trampled: Daily Jang defies court, terminates over 80 employees

 May 25, 2025:  Daily Jang Rawalpindi has terminated over 80 employees, including female staff, despite multiple court rulings in their favor—raising concerns over labor rights violations and misuse of authority in Pakistani media.