POPULAR FEMALE BROADCASTER RESIGNS ALLEGES HARASSMENT (Management point of view)

POPULAR FEMALE BROADCASTER RESIGNS ALLEGES HARASSMENT

(Management point of view)

      A statement was issued by the PFUJ on the subject cited above on 27th June 2009,opening paragraph of which was as under: “Journalists fight for the rights of others, but how can they do that when their own rights are not protected and are trampled upon at will by some shady characters. “Harassment of female members in the workplace has always been a problem raised by the electronic and print media, but what happens when the guardians of women’s rights themselves indulge in unprofessional and disgusting behavior? “This seems to be the case of a certain TV channel whose CEO allegedly not only allows such incidents to take place, but also makes it a point to punish the woman involved for her right to complain against such issues at work”. The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) is in receipt of a complaint from a female broadcaster/ correspondent, “Dunya News”, - Maheen Usmani,   who tendered her resignation owing to harassment.” {the rest was text of the email without any editing, 

alteration, addition & deletion).The last Para of the same was as under:

               “The PFUJ urged the President, Prime Minister, Chief Justice of Pakistan, the International Federation of Journalists, Civil Society activists to take notice of increasing incident of young women crews’ harassment at TV channels at hands of media manager enjoying top executive position in these channels.”

Thereafter on 30^th June another release was issued by the PFUJ – title as“Female broadcaster seeks reshaped inquiry committee”……The rest of the text was a letter of Ms Maheen Usmani for seeking recomposition of the inquiry committee while the supporting Para of the PFUJ for Ms Maheen plea runs as under:-

“The Secretary General of the PFUJ Mr. Shamsul Islam Naz, urged upon the women members of the parliament, human rights organizations, NGO's and civil society to support the just demand of Maheen Usmani for open Inquiry comprising of independent persons and having repute of integrity.”

Yet another statement was issued on 01-07-09 by theInternational Federation of Journalists (IFJ) on the subject TV Channel Management Must Show Sensitivity in Sexual Harassment Case in Pakistan. On the basis of a Media release issued by the PFUJ. The IFJ through this release demanded that “The IFJ stands in full support of the PFUJ in this case and endorses its argument that an independent committee cannot contain people directly involved in the allegations. “We will follow this case closely, since as the PFUJ informs us, it involves not merely the profession of journalism, but the safeguards that all working women in the country can rely upon”.

In the meantime, a email was received to us from Nasim Zehra, Director Current Affairs, Dunya News, Islamabad on 30-0609 whereupon we issued another Media Release on the same day with opening Para as under :-

“Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has welcomed the decision of the Dunya News’s Management for taking serious notice of the harassment allegations leveled by a POPULAR FEMALE BROADCASTER Maheen Usmani and resigning from a service.” {the rest of the statement was text of the Nasim Zehra} while the last Para of {PFUJ release says “ The PFUJ taking notice of the contention of the Dunya News Director Current Affairs, reiterated it demand that the matter should be enquired though “independent Commission”, as the prestige and honour of the T.V. channel is also at stake owing to serious allegations, of harassment of a female journalist Ms. Maheen Usmani, who had expressed her no confidence upon a committee constituted by the Management.”

Thereafter a number of journalists, intellectual, opinion makers, and people belonging various walk of life opened a debate on this issue. Other day I received a courier letter from Mr. Yousaf Baig Mirza, Managing Director, Dunya Television Network, on the subject mater, however, on my request head also mailed me the same though e-mail which read as under:-

July 4, 2009

Mr. Shamsul Islam Naz

Secretary General,

Pakistan Federal Union of Journalist,

12- Nazimuddin Road, F-6/1,

Islamabad, Pakistan.

Subject: One-sided stance of PFUJ by widely circulating the resignation/complaint filed by Ms. Usmani

"This is with reference to the resignation emailed by Ms. Maheen Usmani on the 15^th of June, 2009. On the receipt of this email, it was extensively forwarded with one sided comments by the prestigious office of PFUJ to a large number of forums, government officials, private media and other individuals. This document is circulated without making an appropriate inquiry, understanding the whole issue or listening to the other side manifests the inclined stance of PFUJ regarding this subject.

I, being a part of the media fraternity, hold PFUJ in very high esteem. The body has rendered valuable services for the cause of journalist community and must therefore be respected. But it was disappointing to see that in all sheerness, PFUJ has unfortunately acted in haste without probing into the matter or without knowing the background and understanding of this issue in its entirety. The matter has been blown up, politicized and publicized by distorting and twisting the facts; only to scandalize certain entities.

I was never contacted or consulted by the PFUJ on the matter before issuing this letter. I very profoundly wish that PFUJ would have at least for once made an initial inquiry before hurriedly jumping on to a predisposed conclusion generating a one sided email. I am convinced that it was unintentional oversight on part of PFUJ and was only done in a spur of the moment without rationally analyzing a highly emotional, verbose and angled email of resignation by Ms. Maheen Usmani. It is formidable for the whole media fraternity how this whole farce has been developed on the motives by an individual or a group of people hiding behind this malicious campaign.

I am sure that PFUJ in order to maintain their impartiality and credibility would not like to take any sides without knowing the facts of the case. I therefore, hereby request the prestigious office of PFUJ, keeping in view what the justice & fairness demand, that no verdict should be given without impartially taking into consideration the complete case, gathering undistorted facts and knowing the other side of the story. I therefore request a rejoinder to be issued (to same people to whom the previous email was sent) as a corrigendum by your office that PFUJ regrets to circulate this email."

I look forward to hear from you on this matter.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

Yousaf Baig Mirza, Managing Director, Dunya Television Network. Mobile # 0300 555 9 222, 0344 999 0 999

ybmirza@gmail.com, ybmirza@dunyatv.tv

Without prejudice the PFUJ is of the view that it had not so far “given any verdict” about the “allegations of Ms Maheen Usmani”. But according to the words of Mr. YBM “justice & fairness demand, that no verdict should be given without impartiality taking into consideration the complete case, gathering undistorted facts and knowing the other side of the story”. The same contention was raised by Ms. Nasim Zehra “Dunya News takes such allegations seriously and hence an Inquiry Committee was immediately initiated.”

With giving any opinion or passing any judgment we are looking forward of out come of this incident by an “Inquiry Committee”, comprising of independent persons and known for their integrity, honesty, and credibility. In the meantime, I urge upon colleagues not to jump in the debate and pass any “verdict” in “favour or, or against” “any one”.

Shamsul Islam Naz

Secretary General

PAKISTAN FEDERAL UNION OF JOURNALISTS

12-Nazimuddin Road, F-6/1,

Islamabad, Pakistan.

Phone Office +92(0)51 2870220-1

Facsimile +92(0)51 2870223

Cellular +92(0)300 8665523

http://www.pfuj.info

http://www.shamsulislamnaz.com