Usman Buzdar working hard to eradicate Covid-19

An international news agency Gulf News criticized Pakistan’s private newspaper for allegedly publishing an opinion-based article on coronavirus and for mocking CM Usman Buzdar.

The Renowned private newspaper recently criticized CM Punjab Usman Buzdar for allegedly saying, “ye corona kaat ta kese hai? (How does corona bite?)”

Gulf news mentioned the name of the Editor who wrote the article. Gulf news mentioned that the editor appeared to be presenting his personal views camouflaged in the measured lexicon. It also stated that the newspaper “reproduced” the words of the chief minister of the largest province of Pakistan.

Gulf News took the matter seriously and mentioned that using such words for a politician is not a novel phenomenon. The basic rule a journalist follows is verifying the information first. A journalist writes a disclaimer “unnamed” if the source does not want the journalist to reveal the identity. Also, a journalist writes “reportedly” or “allegedly” if s/he quotes a statement.

However, Gulf News stated that the editor has written a biased and opinion-based article that contradicts the basic rules of journalism. What CM Usman Buzdar has stated is not the personal opinion of an editor. It was also mentioned that the editor’s comments were a direct attack on the ability and integrity of the chief minister of Punjab of 110,012,442 people.

Note that The Punjab government has sent a legal notice to the editor for publishing “baseless” content.

The editor had written in his article, “Nothing could better illustrate the state of affairs in Punjab today than this simple question asked by the head of the province about a crisis that has nothing simple about it.”

Gulf News stated, “The world of 2020, shaken by the once-in-a-century pathogen, the China-originated outbreak of a virus that defying scientific and medical advancements has turned into a global pandemic, has many unanswered and unanswerable questions, confusions, ambiguities. All over the world, there is also an outbreak of hearsay, rumors, exaggerated reports, fanciful remedies, local totkas, and ludicrous claims. That is expected in a world of 7.53 billion people. They are terrified. They seek answers. They look for reassurance. And they need medical assistance if infected. Those who sell sensationalism and revel in divisions made for political relevance and personal aggrandizement do not have a place in the world shaken to its vulnerable, fragile mortal core in March 2020. Falsified reports exacerbate the sense of isolation and personal agony.”