Journalists outraged over treatment of KP leaders in Punjab Assembly

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 27 December 2025 |  JP Staff Report

Journalists in Pakistan express outrage over the treatment of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa leaders during a Punjab Assembly visit. Concerns about political decorum and journalistic ethics have emerged following the incident.

Summary

ISLAMABAD — Pakistani journalists have strongly condemned the treatment of a visiting delegation from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at the Punjab Assembly, describing the episode as a low point for both political conduct and journalistic ethics.

During the visit by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and accompanying provincial ministers and lawmakers, members of the delegation were reportedly pushed and jostled by Punjab Assembly security personnel. As the incident unfolded, some journalists present questioned the visiting leaders about alleged involvement in drug smuggling, prompting immediate backlash from within the media community.

Media conduct under scrutiny

One provincial minister, Mena Khan, reacted angrily to the line of questioning, calling it inappropriate and personal. Senior journalists later emphasized that such questions, raised without evidence in a public and politically charged setting, violated basic ethical standards of journalism.

Earlier, tensions had already been heightened by remarks attributed to Punjab’s Information and Culture Minister Uzma Bukhari, who referred to the visiting delegation in derogatory terms. The situation escalated further after a post appeared on the official X account of the Punjab government that critics said portrayed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister in a derogatory manner. The post was widely criticized online before being taken down.

Reactions from senior journalists

Veteran journalist Ayaz Khan said the events reflected a collapse of both political norms and journalistic responsibility in Punjab. Columnist and analyst Azaz Syed described the drug-related questions directed at the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister as unethical and dangerous, warning that such behavior fuels inter-provincial resentment rather than accountability.

Journalist Mubashir Zaidi criticized what he described as a pattern of obstruction and humiliation, arguing that the narrative emerging afterward sought to downplay the seriousness of the incident. Matiullah Jan called the episode a moment of collective shame, stating that both politics and media had failed to uphold dignity and democratic values.

Arif Hameed Bhatti expressed sorrow over the scenes from the Punjab Assembly, recalling Punjab’s historical reputation for hospitality. Political activist Ammar Ali Jan termed the prevention of public engagement by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister as undemocratic and unlawful. Senior journalists Rauf Klasra and Nasrullah Khan condemned both the baseless questions raised by reporters and the aggressive response from the minister, stressing that neither could be justified.

PHOTO: Provincial Assembly of the Punjab (Facebook)