JournalismPakistan.com | Published July 01, 2016
Join our WhatsApp channel
KARACHI - A Hindu reporter at the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) on Friday claimed he was being pressured to retract his allegations that he was barred from drinking water in the same glass and sharing utensils with other Muslim staff at the office after his colleagues found out his religion.
Sahib Khan (pictured), a senior reporter with APP in Karachi, had alleged his bureau chief had asked him to "use separate utensils to eat and drink in the office because some colleagues had reservations."
But after the issue was brought to limelight through media reports and led to backlash and demands that action should be taken against those involved in discrimination against him, his boss started pressuring him into falsifying such reports, Sahib Khan claimed.
"On Wednesday, he [the bureau chief] made me sit in his office for over four hours, pressuring me into falsifying media reports on the incident," he was quoted as saying by Dawn.
"He wants me to say that all such reports circulating in the media are lies. He even said ‘if you can take extreme measures, so can we’," Khan alleged.
Khan, who hails from Dadu district, was initially appointed as a reporter in APP Islamabad and was transferred to Hyderabad and then Karachi in April this year.
He had alleged that the discriminatory attitude started soon after his younger son Raj Kumar visited his office and everyone found out that he was Hindu.
"Actually my name contains the word ‘Khan’ so everyone in the office initially thought I was Muslim. When I introduced my son as Raj Kumar, they asked me in amazement if I was Hindu. The very next day, our bureau chief called me up for a meeting and asked me to use separate utensils for eating and drinking at work because others had problems," he said.
APP Karachi Bureau Chief Parvez Aslam, however, in a statement to the daily, has termed the allegations “"misleading" and "baseless."
Aslam said there was "no discrimination against any minority member working at the APP on any basis, let alone religion." He also denied reports that Khan was being "mistaken" for a Muslim earlier due to his surname "Khan."
"As a matter of fact, all his [Sahib’s] colleagues were well aware that he was a Hindu by religion but there was no discrimination against him at any stage," he said.
Aslam said the APP management investigated the reported incident following a "malicious" letter from the Pakistan Institute of Labor Education and Research and found that all charges were "frivolous."
Journalist unions have condemned the alleged discrimination against Khan.
Secretary of the Karachi Union of Journalists (Dastoor Group) Shoaib Khan condemned the incident and demanded a thorough probe. - PTI
February 26, 2025: An in-depth analysis of the Punjab Government's excessive self-promotion through media, costing taxpayers millions while masquerading propaganda as achievements.
February 25, 2025: The Punjab government faces criticism for spending millions in taxpayer money on misleading front-page advertisements across major Pakistani newspapers, raising serious questions about media integrity and public resource management.
January 23, 2025: An in-depth look at the recent scuffle on a Pakistani talk show, its implications for media ethics, and the urgent need for TV channels to uphold decorum during debates.
December 18, 2024: A critical examination of dangerous medical misinformation broadcast on Pakistan Television, exposing how political propaganda can potentially harm cancer patients by spreading false treatment narratives.
December 17, 2024: Geo News faces criticism after a homophobic tweet targeting Richard Grenell, a Trump advisor advocating for Imran Khan's release, which was subsequently deleted.
November 29, 2024: Suno TV faces criticism for targeting senior journalist Matiullah Jan with a smear campaign following his controversial abduction and arrest. This raises serious concerns about media ethics and press freedom in Pakistan.
August 17, 2024: A viral video exposes a shocking reality about Pakistani media, where fake news circulates unchecked. The clip, featuring a false report on the arrest of former IG of Jails, Shahid Saleem, highlights the pervasive issue of yellow journalism and raises questions about news credibility.
July 25, 2024: Dr. Omar Adil's sexist remarks against female journalists, including Gharidah Farooqi, have ignited widespread criticism, calling for full accountability and stronger actions against misogynistic language in the industry.
April 30, 2025 Freedom of expression in Pakistan is under threat, as the 2025 Freedom Network report reveals increased arrests, censorship, and legal restrictions following amendments to PECA, posing serious risks to journalists and democratic values.
April 30, 2025 Dawn has criticized the Indian media's calls for war and condemned the banning of 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, urging a rational response after the Pahalgam attack that left 26 dead.
April 28, 2025 India has banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, including major news outlets and individual journalists, following the deadly Pahalgam attack. Tensions escalate as Islamabad demands a neutral probe.
April 23, 2025 Discover Dr. Nauman Niaz’s In A Different Realm: Story of Quadruple & Triple Centuries 1876–2025, a profound exploration of cricket's most monumental innings, blending historical analysis with poetic narrative.
April 23, 2025 Pakistani journalists respond in unison to a post hinting at a possible Indian military strike. Citing the 2019 ‘Swift Retort,’ they warn of a stronger response if provoked again.