Pakistani senator threatens to rape journalist on live TV debate

Pakistan: A senior journalist and human rights activist in Pakistan, Marvi Sirmed was threatened with rape during a guest discussion on the Nadia Mirza Show, a current affairs program broadcast on News One.

A current affairs talk show featured Marvi Sirmed alongside Hafiz Hamdullah, a conservative senator associated with the Islamic political party Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, and barrister Masroor Sahib, as its guest.
The guests were discussing the recent succession of honour killings across the country.
At a point in the discussion, Barrister Masroor codemmed the Council of Islamic ideology for its silence on the matter, which gave rise to an angry reaction from Hamdullah.
The senator interrupted Sirmed off mid-sentence when she said she agreed to an extent with Masroo's opinion which flared up argument and quickly escalated.

Sirmed took to Facebook to explain the event, saying: “He started abusing me with the worst possible expletives. (He) called me a whore and said ‘tumhaari shalwaar utaar dooN ga aur tumhaari maaN ki bhi’.”

This loosely translates to “I will strip off your dress and will do the same to your mother too”.
and she responded, telling him to do that to his own family, he tried to beat her.

She said he had to be held back while he attempted to throw punches at her, before News One security eventually appeared to take him away.

“And this religious merchant was fasting while he did all this,” she added, referring to the ongoing Ramadan fasting.

Sirmed’s posts on Facebook about the incident has been shared almost 2000 times, and she has received an outflow of backing from the public, urging her to take legal action.
Following the incident, Sirmed called upon the Senate chairman Raza Rabbani to investigate Hamdullah’s alleged physical assault.
She also requested News One release CCTV footage showing the senator attempting to physically assault her, insisting that his party nomination should be revoked.
The controversial senator is known for violent outbursts on television.

Dr Arif Alvi, one of the country’s senior parliamentarians, said Hamdullah once “threatened (him) on air”, adding that he should be banned from television.

Sirmed sounded this point on Twitter, saying “People like Hamdullah get legitimacy when anchors keep inviting them to their shows”.

She called on journalists and other media professionals to snub him, saying:

 “I don’t think violent and vile people like Hamdullah should be taken on media. (An) opposing viewpoint is welcome, physical assault is not.”