Dawn's 'blatant bias' against PTI has come out in the open, says Imran

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 19 July 2018

Imran Khan has accused the newspaper Dawn of blatant bias against his party, PTI. This accusation follows Hameed Haroon's interview on BBC Hardtalk, where Khan claims the media's neutrality is in question.

Summary

ISLAMABAD - Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan has maintained that the “blatant bias” of daily Dawn against his party “has now come out in the open” in Hameed Haroon’s interview with BBC talk show Hardtalk.

In his tweet, the PTI chief said: “The blatant bias of Dawn against PTI has now come out in the open. So much for Dawn’s neutral and liberal credentials! Complete farce! Full marks to Stevan Sackur for exposing Dawn in his BBC Hardtalk interview.”

The uproar over the interview in Pakistan bemused Stevan Sackur. “Seems like my interview with Hameed Haroon, boss of @dawn_com has caused quite a stir in #Pakistan....”

In his tweet he hoped “Pakistanis embrace concept of rigorously, courteously questioning all key public figures this election season.”

Kamran Khan thought that Hameed Haroon couldn’t provide convincing replies. “Respected, Dawn seems like losing case against, let’s say, establishment, when CEO Hameed Haroon couldn’t provide convincing replies to great BBC HARDtalk inquisitor Stephen Sackur. Hameed was terribly under prepared or didn’t have specific answers.”

Fareeha Idrees also found the Dawn top man unconvincing. “A dream broken as I saw @Dawn_News CEO, Hameed Haroon dwindling from whatever his opinion was with no hard facts nor convincing answers to give to simple straight questions on @BBCNews @BBCHARDtalk , if CEO is not sure about his stance, how can the organisation be trusted?”

For Mubasher Lucman, “BBC Sackur ripped apart & blew away Hameed Haroon / Dawn.” He quoted Steven words where he tells Hameed that “the self-proclaimed independent impartial neutral media group covering Pakistan politically are now seen to be supportive and sympathic of Nawaz Sharif his daughter who are now it has to be said convicted criminals.”

Others made fun of the interview. “Stephen Sackur : You say that FIFA world cup was rigged in France's favor. WHERE IS YOUR EVIDENCE !!!!!!!! Hameed Haroon : I think if you go to the social media, if you look at the trolls on SM, you might get some idea that there is large presence of French on SM.”