Vanishing online: The shocking removal of Sohail Warraich’s Jang column

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published 4 months ago |  JP Staff Report

ISLAMABAD — A column by veteran journalist Sohail Warraich has become the center of controversy after it was removed from the Daily Jang website just hours after publication on Sunday. The piece, however, remains available in the newspaper’s print edition.

The column, titled “Big Politics and a Petty Journalist Worker”, addresses the wave of criticism Warraich has faced in recent days. He wrote that for five consecutive days, PTI supporters and vloggers targeted him online, calling him a “tout,” “army agent,” and even a “bathroom cleaner.” Despite the intensity of the campaign, Warraich said he chose not to respond to the personal attacks, emphasizing:

“I have never responded to personal allegations, nor do I intend to. Time and history will make everything clear.”

Warraich’s writing comes after a dispute over his earlier column, which was dismissed as “fake news” by the military spokesperson, Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry (DG ISPR). In that piece, Warraich had reported details of Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir’s interactions with the Pakistani diaspora during his recent visit to Brussels.

In his latest column, Faiz Aam, Warraich clarified several points in response to the accusations:

On DG ISPR’s rebuttal: Warraich said his earlier column contained no details that Lt. Gen. Chaudhry explicitly denied. He suggested the official statement may have been based on a misunderstanding.

On the “interview” claim: He stressed that he never used the word “interview” nor implied that his reporting was based on a one-on-one conversation with the army chief.

On alleged off-record remarks: Warraich said the discussions he referenced occurred publicly, before an audience of 800 people, and later at a dinner table. He noted that there was no mention of May 9, Imran Khan, or any apology, and urged readers to revisit his original column.

On reconciliation: He acknowledged mentioning that the army chief had recited and explained verses from the Quran but said this should not have been construed as anything more.

On contradictions: Warraich dismissed the notion of a glaring contradiction in his reporting, remarking: “Such a massive contradiction would not even be in a fasana (fictional tale).”

On accusations of bias: The journalist reflected on his long career, noting that every political camp had at some point branded him biased. From General Zia-ul-Haq to Nawaz Sharif, Pervez Musharraf, and even Imran Khan, Warraich said he has faced criticism from all sides. He admitted: “If publishing Zia’s remarks against Junejo, interviewing Nawaz Sharif in exile, or writing about Musharraf and later General Bajwa makes me guilty, then I accept this crime.”

On the role of history: Warraich concluded with optimism, saying that in the end, “time will expose false claims, truths, and allegations. History will rule in journalism’s favor.”

The removal of his column from Jang’s website has sparked debate over press freedom, editorial independence, and the pressures faced by Pakistani journalists in covering sensitive matters.