Journalists' tweets get bitter as election nears

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 21 July 2018

With the election nearing, tensions among journalists are rising on Twitter. Personal attacks and accusations of foreign influence are becoming more common.

Summary

ISLAMABAD - As the journalists have taken sides in the election fray, their tweets are also getting bitter - calling each other names and labelling others agents of the foreign masters and dictators.

Matiullah Jan (pictured), host of talk show Apna Apna Gareban, on Saturday, called Irshad Bhatti, who appears as an analyst in talk shows daily, a “tout of dictatorship”.

No stranger to controversies, Mati’s tweet was in response to Bhatti’s in which he is cursing and berating the quality of democracy in Pakistan, in a video clip.

Mati’s tweet in Urdu added that the 'tout' badmouths democracy and supremacy of constitution on TV but never talks against the military rulers in Pakistan. 

Photo courtesy: Daily Pakistan

KEY POINTS:

• Journalists are increasingly taking sides as elections approach.
• Accusations of being agents of foreign powers are rampant on social media.
• Matiullah Jan criticized Irshad Bhatti's stance on democracy on Twitter.
• Debates over the quality of democracy in Pakistan are intensifying.
• Personal attacks among journalists are becoming more frequent.