"Khanzada is an honourable man."
Anchorperson Shahzeb Khanzada was publicly confronted by a man who accused him of biased reporting against PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi.
A video circulating on social media shows Khanzada walking away calmly while accompanied by his family.
It was clear in the video that he chose not to engage with the man.
The incident occurred shortly after The Economist published an article. It examined Imran Khan’s marriage to Bushra Bibi and her influence during his tenure as prime minister.
PTI dismissed the piece as recycled propaganda disguised as foreign commentary.
This intensified the scrutiny around Khanzada’s coverage, drawing attention from supporters and critics alike.
Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb condemned the confrontation.
She called it unacceptable and warned that such acts reflect a mob mentality rather than political dissent.
Aurangzeb added that the behaviour demonstrated a lack of decency and civility, and amounted to intimidation rather than legitimate political expression.
She said: “Yet another filthy reminder of the mob mentality Imran Khan has carefully bred within PTI.
“They know that they can only survive when society is torn down.”
PPP leader and Sindh Energy Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah also weighed in.
He stated that disagreements should be expressed respectfully and not through harassment.
MQM-P Senator Faisal Subzwari criticised the incident, echoing concerns that public confrontations of journalists set a dangerous precedent for press freedom.
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Numerous prominent journalists condemned the harassment as inappropriate and unacceptable.
This included Waseem Abbasi, Ziauddin Yousafzai, Asad Ali Toor, Matiullah Jan, Zahid Gishkori, Faizan Lakhani, and Asma Shirazi.
The founder of Pakistan Daily, Hamza Azhar Salam, highlighted that PTI had not pursued any defamation case against Khanzada.
He proceeded to question why the confrontation occurred in a public space.
Khanzada defended his reporting on the Iddat case on social media.
The journalist emphasised that his coverage also detailed Shahbaz Gill’s detention under treason-related laws.
Ziauddin Yousafzai, father of Malala Yousufzai, labelled the incident as disgusting and utterly condemnable.
He added: “Khanzada is an honourable man and an outstanding journalist.
“This incident exposes the ugly face and behaviour of an intolerant cult.”
Social media users overwhelmingly supported Shahzeb Khanzada, expressing shock at the confrontation and denouncing the act as a threat to journalistic integrity.
The episode has reignited discussions on the safety of reporters in Pakistan, highlighting ongoing tensions between journalists and politically affiliated groups.
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