Geo News reporter row sparks protest by journalists

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 24 May 2026 |  JP Staff Report

Journalists staged a walkout from the Parliament press gallery after claims that a Geo News reporter was barred from covering proceedings after questioning Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. The allegations are unverified and neither Geo nor the PPP has commented.

Summary

ISLAMABAD — Pakistani journalists staged a protest walkout from the Parliament press gallery after claims emerged that a television reporter had been stopped from covering parliamentary proceedings following a question directed at Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

The controversy surfaced after journalist Sanaullah Khan, in a vlog posted on YouTube on Saturday, alleged that journalist Haider Shah Sherazi was removed from parliamentary coverage duties after asking Bilawal a question that reportedly upset the PPP leader. Sanaullah claimed the matter was raised with Geo News, and that the reporter was subsequently stopped from covering Parliament.

The allegations could not be independently verified at the time of publication, and neither the PPP nor Geo News had publicly issued a statement responding to the claims.

Journalists walk out of the Press Gallery

According to Sanaullah Khan’s account, members of the Parliamentary Reporters Association walked out of the Parliament Press Gallery in protest over the reported restriction on the reporter. He said no parliamentarian approached the journalists during the protest to address their concerns or hold discussions over the issue.

The incident has triggered renewed debate within Pakistan’s media circles about political tolerance toward critical questioning and the shrinking space for parliamentary reporting. Political parties across the spectrum have repeatedly pledged support for press freedom, yet journalists and media watchdogs have continued to raise concerns over growing pressures on reporters covering politics and state institutions.

Financial pressures deepen newsroom concerns

In his vlog, Sanaullah Khan also criticized the economic conditions facing journalists and newsroom staff across Pakistan. He alleged that many journalists were being overworked while facing delayed salary payments despite media organizations receiving substantial government advertising support.

The comments reflect broader concerns within Pakistan’s media industry over layoffs, shrinking newsroom resources, delayed wages, and increasing dependence on state advertising revenues. Media unions and journalist bodies have repeatedly warned that financial instability within news organizations can undermine editorial independence and weaken reporters’ ability to challenge powerful political actors.

Pakistan’s media sector has faced years of economic strain driven by declining advertising revenue, digital disruption, inflation, and political polarization. Journalists covering Parliament and national politics often work under intense scrutiny, with press freedom groups frequently highlighting concerns about access restrictions and professional pressures.

WHY THIS MATTERS: The incident highlights the increasingly fragile relationship between political actors and parliamentary journalists in Pakistan. For media professionals, the controversy underscores how access restrictions, newsroom economics, and political sensitivities can intersect to shape editorial independence and reporting freedom. It also raises broader concerns about whether journalists can continue asking difficult political questions without institutional consequences.

ATTRIBUTION: Reporting by JournalismPakistan, based on publicly available statements by journalist Sanaullah Khan in a YouTube vlog posted on May 24, 2026.

PHOTO: AI-generated; for illustrative purposes only.