JournalismPakistan.com | Published July 25, 2024 at 08:50 pm | JP Staff Reporter
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ISLAMABAD—Dr. Omar Adil, known for his vocal commentary on various issues, has drawn widespread criticism for making sexist remarks about prominent anchor Gharidah Farooqi and other female anchors. In an online program hosted by vlogger Zohaib Saleem Butt, Dr. Adil made derogatory comments about women in the media industry.
"I would say something about female anchors in the Pakistan media industry. I am being honest. The women in media in our country are either someone's keep because they have been handpicked by a seth or somebody else to go and host a stupid program," Dr. Adil stated.
His comments were met with intense backlash on social media. Prominent anchor Absa Komal of DawnNews responded, saying, "Unfortunately, I have seen the entire statement, and it is painful to be a part of this society. Seeing successful women has driven them completely insane."
The Network of Women Journalists for Digital Rights (NWJDR) called for full accountability for Dr. Omar Adil, stating, "A public apology is insufficient to address the profound damage inflicted on the reputation of all women journalists." The group also criticized host Zohaib Saleem Butt's apology, calling it grossly inadequate and insufficient to mitigate the harm caused by the misogynistic statements.
Women Press Freedom expressed solidarity with Gharidah Farooqi and over 60 journalists in condemning Dr. Omar Adil's sexist remarks. "We endorse the Network of Women Journalists for Digital Rights (NWJDR's) call for accountability, emphasizing that mere public apologies are inadequate. We call upon Pakistani officials to condemn and take action against such detrimental language that diminishes the vital contribution of women journalists to press freedom."
The use of sexist and abusive language towards women in the media has been a recurring issue, with female journalists and anchors frequently targeted by hate speech, threats, and defamation.
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