Raza Rumi to go off screen 'for some time'

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 3 April 2014

Raza Rumi, an Express News anchor, has decided to step away from his role following a recent gun attack. He expressed disappointment with how he has been treated by the media.

Summary

ISLAMABAD: Senior journalist and Express News Television anchor Raza Rumi who survived a gun attack last month said Thursday he was going off the screen for some time.

"I am off Express TV for some time. Forget my life, cannot afford anyone to be hurt while saving/protecting me. Adieu, sanity," he tweeted.

Rumi, who anchors the program Khabar Se Agay was attacked by unidentified gunmen on March 28 near Raja Market in Lahore as he headed home from work. His driver Mustafa was killed in the attack and a guard injured.

Several other of his tweets Thursday indicated that Rumi, who is also an editor for The Friday Times, was disappointed the way Pakistani media treated him.

"I also thank Pakistan’s media houses for their glaring *professional* conduct by considering me as a commodity of one channel & not theirs," he said in another tweet.

"Thanks also due to all detractors & those who think I attempted to kill myself for some obscure motive. May Allah show you the right path."

He said: "I heard that one media outlet was debating whether I was a “journalist" or not. Thanks to your important discussion when a human life lost."

Rumi also said that he had learnt a lot in the past few days. "God’s mercy, someone dying next to me. Above all, that human life has no value."

KEY POINTS:

• Raza Rumi was attacked by gunmen near Raja Market in Lahore.
• His driver was killed in the attack, and a guard was injured.
• Rumi criticized media treatment of his situation on Twitter.
• He emphasized the value of human life in his reflections.
• Rumi plans to take a break from his TV program, Khabar Se Agay.