Who Is Gharidah Farooqi? Imran Khan's Comments About The Journalist Slammed

The media, online or offline, has never been a safe space for expression. When it comes to female journalists, the world is toxic and sexist in more ways than one. Recently, the Former Prime Minister of Pakistan and current Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman made harsh remarks on female journalists, especially targeting Gharidah Farooqi for themselves being responsible for their harassment during rallies on the field.

Popular journalist Gharidah Farooqi has been facing harassment on and off social media, and at PTI chairman Imran Khan's rallies in Pakistan and came under the direct target of the former PM as he blamed her for inviting trouble on herself.

Suggested reading: Bound To Be Harassed: Imran Khan Slammed For Derogatory Comment About Journalist

Who Is Gharidah Farooqi?

• Lahore-based Gharidah Farooqi is a popular Pakistani journalist and television anchorperson and host. She is currently a senior anchor person at Express News.
• Farooqi has earlier worked with several television channels including ATV (Pakistan), Dunya TV, Geo News, PTV Home and Samaa TV.
• The journalist has been actively hosting the current affairs television programme titled G for Gharidah on News One, where she interviews renowned personalities from across the country and further discusses current issues. Her show gained immense popularity after she interviewed Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan and politician scion Maryam Nawaz, daughter of former PM Nawaz Sharif.
• Farooqi had earlier come under the radar in 2017 for allegedly being a promoter of child labour after the police recovered a 15-year-old girl from her Lahore house after the minor's father filed a complaint against Farooqi.
• She was accused of keeping the girl captive in her house against her parents' wishes. While Farooqi denied the allegations, she made an out-of-court settlement with the girl's parents.
• Farooqi has been vocally active across social media and has raised her voice against the constant harassment of female journalists on social media and on field visits during political rallies. She has been engaging with fellow journalists on Twitter since the PTI Chairman made remarks against her recently.
• The PTI chairman made these remarks on Farooqi after her matter was brought up at the National Press Club in Islamabad. Journalist Anwar Raza quoted the former PM and said: “Gharidah grabs the mic and always forces her way in a space filled with men, which makes it comparable to aa bail mujhe maar situation. What can I do in such a situation?”
• While Khan said he would make sure special instructions are provided at his rallies for the protection of female journalists, he is unsure how to handle a situation where Farooqi invades male-dominated spaces and gets harassed.