Talat Hussain says offensive viral clip was edited out, not aired on Samaa TV
November 04, 2025: Talat Hussain denies airing the viral clip showing Sher Afzal Marwat’s vulgar remark, saying it was not part of his Samaa TV show.
JournalismPakistan.com | Published 7 years ago
Join our WhatsApp channel
In a letter to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the South Asia Media Solidarity Network (SAMSN) and several journalist organizations in South Asia demanded an end to the media crackdown that has accompanied protests in Bangladesh this week.
The joint letter to Prime Minister Hasina called the arrest and detention on Sunday, August 5, of renowned photojournalist Shahidul Alam an attempt to suppress the dissenting and critical voices in Bangladesh and therefore a misuse of the legal authority.
Alam was arrested by police officers in plain clothes who stormed his apartment in Dhanmondi, Dhaka on Sunday, August 5, forcibly detaining and removing him from the apartment. Alam’s arrest followed a ‘live post’ on his Facebook, in which he narrated attacks on protesters in Dhaka. Earlier that day, Alam had also criticized the Bangladeshi government over the treatment of protesters on Al Jazeera TV. On August 6, he was remanded for seven days.
In the letter, the IFJ and SAMSN expressed serious concerns over several attacks on the media covering the students’ demonstrations by masked men on the streets of Dhaka on August 4 and 5. More than a dozen journalists were attacked by unidentified men in helmets carrying sticks and metal rods when they were covering the agitation by thousands of students calling for safer roads.
E xpressing solidarity with media colleagues in Bangladesh in their struggle for their rights and freedom, the organizations demanded Prime Minister Hasina immediately and unconditionally release photojournalist Shahidul Alam; mobilize the security agencies to ensure safety and security to journalists; investigate and arrest those responsible for attacks on journalists; and respect press freedom and freedom of expression of the Bangladeshi citizens.
The IFJ said: “The IFJ condemns the arrest, detention and alleged torture of photojournalist Shahidul Alam; and targeted attacks on journalists in Bangladesh. The circumstances under which Alam was arrested and the charges against him show the extent to which the Government of Bangladesh will go to in silencing prominent voices. The attacks on journalists are a violation of press freedom. The IFJ urges the Bangladeshi government to immediately release Alam and step up to stop attacks on journalists.” - IFJ media release/Photo: AFP
November 04, 2025: Talat Hussain denies airing the viral clip showing Sher Afzal Marwat’s vulgar remark, saying it was not part of his Samaa TV show.
November 03, 2025: PFUJ recalls November 3, 2007, as Pakistan’s darkest day under Musharraf, urging protection for journalists and the abolition of laws threatening press freedom.
November 02, 2025: PFUJ urges Pakistan’s federal and provincial governments to end Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists and ensure their safety and press freedom.
November 02, 2025: Impunity for crimes against journalists deepens worldwide as Pakistan reports a 60 percent surge in attacks and weak enforcement of safety laws.
November 01, 2025: Pakistan Press Foundation reports 137 attacks on journalists in 2025, highlighting rising threats, legal harassment, and censorship on the International Day to End Impunity.
November 01, 2025: A viral Samaa TV clip featuring MNA Sher Afzal Marwat’s crude remarks and Talat Hussain’s laughter raises questions about the declining ethics of Pakistani television.
October 31, 2025: Police foiled a plot to kill DawnNewsTV journalist Tahir Naseer in Rawalpindi after arresting suspects hired for Rs200,000. Naseer says threats followed his reporting.
October 31, 2025: CPJ calls on Pakistan to bring Imtiaz Mir’s killers to justice after the journalist was allegedly murdered by a banned militant group in Karachi.
November 04, 2025 Journalist Rana Ayyub receives death threats over calls demanding a column on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots as CPJ urges swift action to protect journalists in India.
November 04, 2025 TV8 journalist Mariana Rata in Moldova receives a death threat after interviewing politician Renato Usatii on-air, raising concerns about journalist safety.
November 03, 2025 Global journalist unions condemn the Indonesian agriculture minister’s lawsuit against Tempo, calling it a threat to press freedom and demanding that the case be withdrawn.
November 02, 2025 Independent outlet All About Macau to halt print and online operations amid rising pressure, financial strain, and legal threats, sparking press freedom concerns in the city.
November 01, 2025 Belarus court jails journalist Siarhei Chabotska for extremism and defaming the president, highlighting Minsk’s ongoing crackdown on press freedom.