Columnist Haroon Rashid criticized for alleging Cyril Almeida has 'contacts in India'

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published November 02, 2016 |  Daud Malik

ISLAMABAD - In a column on bbcurdu.com, novelist and journalist Muhammad Hanif has criticized columnist Haroon Rashid for alleging that Cyril Almeida “has contacts in India.”

Hanif said the columnist heavily quotes from the sacred texts but seldom lives by them.

Referring to Rashid’s columns in which he often quotes the advice not to convey a rumor further without researching/confirming it, Hanif says the rumor of Cyril’s alleged “Indian contacts” was first made by the columnist.

Dawn journalist Cyril Almeida’s October 6 story - Act against militants or face international isolation, civilians tell military - led to tensions in civilian-military relations. He was put on the ECL before being taken off, that set the tongues of conspiracy theorists wagging. 

“Would it not have been enough to question the story, even the intent (of Cyril)?  Don’t you know what it means for a Pakistani journalist to be accused of having contacts in India,” Hanif asked in his column Toyota Corolla mein sajday. He pointedly asked: “What do saints say about those who make false allegations?” Then he lamented “what should the reader do when the pen giving nuggets of wisdom starts making slanderous accusations.”

Hanif, author of the book ‘A Case of Exploding Mangoes’ starts the column on a lighter but sarcastic note where he spots his “journalistic hero” Haroon Rashid in a white Toyota Corolla on a busy Karachi crossing, murmuring to himself.

However, in a while Hanif realizes the columnist is offering prayers, saying he was further impressed and wanted to tell everybody about the “pious” journalist.   He also takes a jibe at Rashid’s closeness to late Gen Akhtar Abdul Rehman, former army chief Pervez Kiyani and chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Imran Khan.

Freedom of expression shrinks in Pakistan as PECA Amendments take toll: report

 April 30, 2025:  Freedom of expression in Pakistan is under threat, as the 2025 Freedom Network report reveals increased arrests, censorship, and legal restrictions following amendments to PECA, posing serious risks to journalists and democratic values.

Dawn urges Indian media to abandon war rhetoric

 April 30, 2025:  Dawn has criticized the Indian media's calls for war and condemned the banning of 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, urging a rational response after the Pahalgam attack that left 26 dead.

India bans 16 Pakistani YouTube channels following Pahalgan attack

 April 28, 2025:  India has banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, including major news outlets and individual journalists, following the deadly Pahalgam attack. Tensions escalate as Islamabad demands a neutral probe.

Coordinated or coincidence? Identical tweets by Pakistani journalists raise eyebrows

 April 23, 2025:  Pakistani journalists respond in unison to a post hinting at a possible Indian military strike. Citing the 2019 ‘Swift Retort,’ they warn of a stronger response if provoked again.

Sher Afzal Marwat launches personal attacks on journalists after PTI expulsion

 April 21, 2025:  After being expelled from PTI, MNA Sher Afzal Marwat launches personal attacks on journalists and Aleema Khan, sparking outrage on social media over his offensive remarks.

Journalist Sanaullah Khan alleges FIA blocking accounts of YouTubers and families

 April 21, 2025:  Journalist Sanaullah Khan reveals that the FIA has launched a financial crackdown on YouTubers by freezing the bank accounts of journalists and their family members—raising serious concerns over freedom of expression and legal process.

A launch in style: Dr. Nauman Niaz unveils 'In A Different Realm'

 April 20, 2025:  Dr. Nauman Niaz launched his fifteenth book, In A Different Realm: Story of Quadruple and Triple Centuries 1876–2025, at an elegant Islamabad event, reflecting on cricket’s rarest feats and his journey as a scholar of the game.

Sindhi journalist AD Shar brutally murdered, PFUJ declares three-day mourning

 April 11, 2025:  Sindhi journalist AD Shar was brutally murdered in Khairpur, Sindh. His body was found dumped on Handiyari Link Road. PFUJ has declared a three-day mourning period and demanded justice.