Like ‘the Taliban’: Pakistani TV Host Fired for Trying to Bust Unmarried Couples Spending Time Together
- Posted on January 29, 2012 at 1:27pm by
Madeleine Morgenstern
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Popular Pakistani TV host Maya Khan was fired after she sparked outrage by running around a public park trying to expose unmarried couples spending time together, a cultural taboo. (Image source: YouTube)
ISLAMABAD (The Blaze/AP) — In a rare victory for Pakistani liberals, a private TV station decided to fire a popular morning show host after she sparked outrage by running around a public park trying to expose young, unmarried couples hanging out, a taboo in this conservative Muslim country.
Pakistani liberals derided host Maya Khan’s behavior on Twitter and Facebook, comparing it to the kind of moral policing practiced by the Taliban, and started an online petition asking Samaa TV to end this “irresponsible programming” and apologize.
The company responded Saturday in a letter sent to reporters saying it had decided to fire Khan and her team and cancel her show because she refused to issue an unconditional apology for the Jan. 17 program.
Samaa TV‘s decision marked an unusual victory for Pakistan’s beleaguered liberal minority, which has become more marginalized as the country has shifted to the right and whose members have been killed by Islamist extremists for standing up for what they believe.
Critics of the program also praised the company’s decision as a positive example of self-regulation by Pakistan’s freewheeling TV industry, which was liberalized in 2000 and has mushroomed from one state-run channel to more than 80 independent ones.
Some shows have been praised for serving the public good by holding powerful officials to account, but many others have been criticized for doing anything that will get ratings, including pandering to populist sentiments at the expense of privacy and sometimes truth.
“Samaa management has set a good example that some others need to follow,” said prominent human rights activist and journalist Hussain Naqi.
During the program in question, Khan and around a dozen other men and women chased down young couples in a seaside park in the southern city of Karachi. Several couples raced away from the group. One young man put on a motorcycle helmet to hide his identity, while his female friend covered her face with a veil.
Khan finally accosted one couple sitting on a bench and pestered them with questions about whether they were married and whether their parents knew they were there. The man said the couple was engaged and asked Khan to shut off her cameras and microphone. She lied and said they were off.
Below is a clip from the Pakistani program:
“What is the difference between this kind of media vigilantism and that demonstrated by the Taliban?” said Mahnaz Rahman, a director at the Aurat Foundation, an organization that fights for women’s rights in Pakistan.
Islamist extremists have been ruthless in targeting liberal Pakistanis who disagree with their hardline views. One of the most prominent examples was in last January, when a bodyguard shot to death the governor of Punjab province, Salman Taseer, because of his criticism of Pakistani laws that mandate the death penalty for criticizing the Prophet Muhammad.
Following Khan’s program, one headline in a local paper called the host and the other women who appeared on the show “Vigil-aunties,“ referring to the South Asian term ”aunty” for a bossy older woman.
A petition posted online that criticized Khan’s behavior as “highly intrusive, invasive and potentially irresponsible” and demanded an official apology attracted more than 5,000 signatures.
Khan reportedly rejected the criticism at first but eventually issued on apology on TV to anyone she may have offended, saying “it was not my objective to make you cry or hurt you.”
This fell short of the apology that Khan’s bosses demanded, according to a letter written by the chairman of Samaa TV, Zafar Siddiqi. It said Khan and her team would receive termination notices on Jan. 30 and her show would be canceled.
Siddiqi said the company did not “absolve such behavior irrespective of ratings the show was getting.”
Scores of Pakistanis on Twitter praised Samaa TV’s decision.
“Journalists must never forget the dividing line between public interest & private freedom,” tweeted Najam Sethi, a prominent Pakistani journalist.
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Netsurfer2
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 10:01pmLOL…..She’s jealous of anyone having a relationship because she did not get any spice in life!
Report Post »NOT A CRAZY
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 8:32pmWhy doesn’t she have a rag on her head?
Report Post »Rowgue
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 7:02pmWe have this here already. Just go to youtube and watch clips from “Cheaters”. It’s the same thing, although admittedly our version is just more about sensationalism and wanting to see people expose their dirty laundry on television rather than any values or religious motivation.
Report Post »ryguy1985
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 4:39pmWow, it’s like going back in time and seeing real live cavemen! They are so uncivilized!
Report Post »GoodStuff
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 4:38pmScrew the Associated Press and the media in general. They use the word “conservative” to describe the Muslim crazies and the word “liberal” to describe those fighting against the crazies.
Those words have completely different meanings depending on the country, so why use them so monolithicly as the media does. An American conservative speaks out more against the jihadists (the ones the media would call Muslim conservatives) than American liberals do.
Americans liberals tolerate the Muslim “conservatives.“ Read ”Unholy Alliance: Radical Islam and the American Left”. The media is trying to create the narrative where the so-called “conservatives” are crazy no matter what country they’re in.
Screw you AP, and shame on the Blaze for posting this AP propaganda.
Report Post »cgnick
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 6:19pmConservative and liberal are the same any whre in the world. The Taliban are neo-conservative. They want to rule the masses with their own religios interpretation just like the conservatives do here in the U.S. The definition does not change from country to country.
Report Post »Rowgue
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 6:57pm@CG
Conservatism and liberalism have nothing to do with religion. There are extreme conservatives and extreme liberals within every religion on earth, and there are extreme conservatives and extreme liberals that aren’t affiliated with any religion whatsoever.
Report Post »WeekendAtBernankes
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 4:03pmI’m surprised they fired her. Anyway I suspect that after she gets done exposing people for the terrible crime of Walking Together In A Park Unwed she goes home and gets railed by some guy who’s also unmarried. FFS.
Report Post »PKama
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 4:00pmI do not care at all what these Muslims do to each other as long as they do not try to impose their crap on us. They can just go to hell for all I care. They have caused the world a lot of grief with their crazy culture and belief.
Report Post »Krazy_Kreepy_Ketchup
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 3:22pmEver wonder what happened to Fox News? Wonder why a Soros operative is now a reporter? Wonder why Bill O’Reilly has become such a yes-man and Geraldo Rivera such a used up hack?
Well, let me introduce you to Prince Al Waleed Bin Talal. He is from Saudi Arabia. He is the nephew of Saudi Arabian King Abdullah and a member of the Saudi Royal Family. He is the 19th Richest person in the world. His wealth is estimated at 19.4 Billion Dollars as of March of this year. He was nicknamed the Arabian Warren Buffet by Time Magazine due to his investments in Citibank.
HE IS ALSO the #2 Shareholder of NEWS CORP. (Parent Company of FOX NEWS CHANNEL).
Prince Al also owns “ROTANA GROUP” The Arab worlds largest entertainment company. Now it Just happens to be that NEWS CORP. is the # 2 Shareholder of “ROTANA GROUP”. I know a lot of you will doubt what I say here so google or wiki this name and learn the truth about the FOX NEWS CHANNEL agenda.
Look it all up if you do not believe me. Go ahead.
Report Post »momrules
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 6:33pmPam Geller at Atlasshrugs.com reported this some time ago. Saudi money is buying a heck of a lot of America.
Report Post »SamIamTwo
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 3:16pmSeriously though, where was her blood relative while she was out policing? Prob the real reason, eh??
Report Post »SamIamTwo
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 3:13pmIn the US we would call her a pervert. LOL
Report Post »RJJinGadsden
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 3:23pmLOL, yeah a voyeur
Report Post »mapgirl10
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 2:44pmAlways interest me how some people go for the good and some go for the evil way!
Report Post »vic108
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 2:31pmGandhi’s mindless appleasement of Muslims with complete disregard for the sufferings of Hindus did not only facilitated India’s division in 1947, but also continues to afflict India today. Muslim appeasement was an inseparable part of Gandhi’s doctrine of Nonviolence. What worked (non-violence) with the semi-civilized British rulers and led diretly to Indian independence could not work with keeping India together after independence in the face of the massive slaughter by the blood-thirsty islamists. Pakistan should never have been created. The Muslim population in undivided India was 23%, but got 32% of the land area as Pakistan. Yet, the most appropriate step after partition was to carry out the population exchange, that is, to send all Muslims to Pakistan and bring all Hindus and other non-Muslims from Pakistan to India. This population exchange was included in the Muslim League’s proposal for creating Pakistan, and after communal riots in Bihar, M. A. Jinnah requested the Government of India to carry out the said population exchange as early as possible. But Gandhi, noticing the Muslim reluctance to move to Pakistan, opposed the implementation of the process, calling it an impractical and fictitious proposal. Mount Batten, then Governor General of India, a staunch supporter of the said population exchange, advised Jawaharlal Nehru to carry it out without delay. But Nehru submitted to Gandhi’s will and refrained from implementing the proposal. Pakistan is a hell h
Report Post »Sirfoldallot
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 2:45pmWow , VIC108 , u should wright a novel, a little much don’t u think on a comment ?
Report Post »vic108
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 2:59pmsorry, but i loathe anything PAKISTAN. A country that should have never been created. A country where Saudi funded radical islamists ideas mixed with radical nationalism (always trying to be better than India in every regard) to create a hell like no other…
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 2:18pmI don’t really care what Pakistanis do to each other. It’s when it involves Americans that I care.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 2:22pmThe Muslims are planning upon expanding, here… and the Courts seem open to Sharia Law…. so maybe another look!
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 2:25pmSharia law will not take over here. We are armed and we will not go along quietly.
Report Post »Sirfoldallot
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 2:29pmTrying 2 figure out Y she is not wearing a burka ?
Report Post »LouC57
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 2:31pmGonzo, in my heart of hearts, I agree with you. Problem: “Khan reportedly rejected the criticism at first but eventually issued on apology on TV to anyone she may have offended, saying “it was not my objective to make you cry or hurt you.”
Report Post »She said.
I say B.S.
She’s the type to expose people so they can face the harsh punishment dictated under Sharia Law.
And it is coming to a neighborhood near you…soon.
Krazy_Kreepy_Ketchup
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 3:10pmEver hear of the OIC? How about Resolution 16/18? All the guns in the world cannot protect you when we are already off the cliff.
Obama sold us out. The game is over. It is now a matter of what position you will be in when the pieces begin to be picked up. It is simply too late to turn the bus around.
Sharia will likely rule in the US. Read Team B-II’s report to the White House about Sharia the Threat to America. If you do not know what that is, start educating yourself now because time is running out.
That is IF you are what you claim to be…
Report Post »mapgirl10
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 2:18pmIt amazes me that some people will take the evil route and some will take the good route! Poor people who have no personal freedom,
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 2:08pmI am sure… the Crusaders had the same Prayer!
Report Post »oldironsides
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 2:07pmthank goodness for the freedoms ushered in by the ‘Arab Spring’.
Report Post »Sirfoldallot
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 2:06pmB. Frank should spend his honeymoon in Pakistan or better yet Iran.
Report Post »Krazy_Kreepy_Ketchup
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 3:12pmBetter still-Evan prison in Iran
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 1:58pmSo women get punished for the weakness of their men. RICH.
Perhaps camera’s should follow this woman around to find out just how much a hypocrite she is and see if she likes to be exposed. Sometimes you have to give them a taste of their own medicine.
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 1:35pm.
Report Post »Those folks need more Porn. Idel Hands are the Devils Workshop after all. So I figure, if we can keep their hands busy, that’ll lead to fewer stonings, fewer bombings………….
lukerw
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 1:30pmFascist or Pervert… she’s just Muslim!
Report Post »