Accusing Pakistanis of supporting Indian narrative must end: columnist

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 25 March 2019

Columnist Mosharraf Zaidi has called for stopping allegations against Pakistanis of supporting the Indian narrative. His comments followed a public dispute with retired General Shoaib Amjad during a talk show.

Summary

ISLAMABAD: Columnist Mosharraf Zaidi has called for an end to the practice of accusing Pakistanis of promoting Indian narrative.

Commenting in a tweet on his verbal altercation with Gen. (Retd.) Shoaib Amjad, Zaidi said he never wanted to raise voice but lost his temper as he wants an end to the habit of “accusing Pakistanis of "supporting the Indian narrative."

In the talk show Breaking Point with Maalik on Hum News TV, Zaidi and the retired general spoke loudly at the same time.

Never pleasant to raise one's voice. But the habit of people accusing Pakistanis of "supporting the Indian narrative" must end. Just because you have no response to a critique of mistakes & failures, does not allow you to accuse fellow Pakistanis of being in league w the enemy. https://t.co/bk9BNvWF6m

— Mosharraf Zaidi (@mosharrafzaidi) March 24, 2019

“Never pleasant to raise one's voice. But the habit of people accusing Pakistanis of "supporting the Indian narrative" must end. Just because you have no response to a critique of mistakes & failures, does not allow you to accuse fellow Pakistanis of being in league w the enemy.”

Zaidi got a lot of support for his stance.

In his tweet, Imtiaz Alam simply termed the retired general “stupid.”

However, in another tweet, Zaidi said he had no intention of deriding the general. “No derision whatsoever for soldier or service. Dog-whistling & dishonest for you to try to make it so. I am accused of toeing enemy line. False. I toe my line for my country. Won't allow anyone to deride my integrity. And faux outrage will neither intimidate, nor deter me.”

Former editor of Dawn, Abbas Nasir said: ”Well done, Mosh. Good that you said what you did. Getting sick and tired of these anti-Pakistan labels if you don't subscribe to a pov that has harmed us no end. Can't believe these jokers are for real.”

KEY POINTS:

• Mosharraf Zaidi advocates for ending accusations against Pakistanis.
• Dispute arises during a talk show on Hum News.
• Zaidi emphasizes the need for civil discourse.
• Support for Zaidi comes from noted personalities like Abbas Nasir.
• Zaidi rejects claims of supporting the enemy narrative.