If you happened to stumble across Twitter today, you may have noticed the name, ‘Hameed Haroon’ trending.
Like so:
And if you didn’t know what that name meant, well, here we go.
Hameed Haroon, the CEO of Dawn Media Group, is being ridiculed on social media for his interview with Stephen Sackur on BBC HARDtalk.
Haroon, went on air with Sackur to discuss the media in Pakistan, particularly his own company, and its role in the upcoming general elections.
Unfortunately, the interview turned sour when Hameed was unable to accurately answer a question in reference to Dawn’s alleged support and sympathy for the newly proclaimed ‘criminals,’ Nawaz and Maryam Sharif.
BBC journalist: you are supporting convicted corrupt criminals Nawaz Shareef & his daughter. where is the evidence they were framed?
DAWN CEO Hameed Haroon: there are trolls on social media
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
— Salman (@salman2979) July 16, 2018
The interview was intense and Sackur put out some hard hitting questions at the media tycoon
Hameed and the credibility of the paper came under question, as the general public came to the consensus that the interview had turned into an ‘expose,’ showing Hameed and his Media group for all that they allegedly were.
This has got to be the most embarassing thing happening to @dawn_com where even BBC says you are not seen as independent nor impartial.. Embarrassing seeing the response by Hameed Haroon, seriously embarrassing! pic.twitter.com/6g2fEOsxv9
— Adeel Raja (@adeelraja) July 17, 2018
Many were calling the interview an embarrassment, as Hameed seemed quite unprepared with his answers to Sackur’s questions regarding his company’s alleged partiality toward PML N and Nawaz Sharif
Stephen Sackur again asked for evidence but Hameed Haroon had no answer so he cited "work of (some) political commentators" as proof😂
Pakistani public doesn't buy what the desi تجزیہ نگار sells, he expected a real journalist to buy his horseshit
Stephen thrashed Hameed for it pic.twitter.com/xhyodgrRJw
— Asfandyar Bhittani 🇵🇰 (@BhittaniKhannnn) July 16, 2018
Hameed Haroon, CEO of Dawn, terms the Panama Papers, a PULIZTER PRIZE winning piece of journalism, a conspiracy by the Pakistani army. What the fuck kind of people are running media corps in this country.
— A. (@beehave5) July 16, 2018
A dream broken as I saw @Dawn_News CEO, Hameed Haroon dwindling from whatever his opinion was with no hard facts nor convincing answers to give to simple straight questions on @BBCNews @BBCHARDtalk , if CEO is not sure about his stance, how can the organisation be trusted?
— Fe'reeha Idrees (@Fereeha) July 17, 2018
And duh, we had some trolls, doing what they do best
Since the BBC interview, the following items should chsngr its name Hameed Haroon:
1. Kentucky Hameed Haroon pic.twitter.com/QfWaMW2mQJ— Ahsan Khan (@Ahsan_Khan05) July 17, 2018
2.Hameed Haroon Sandwich pic.twitter.com/pdN00i5jin
— Ahsan Khan (@Ahsan_Khan05) July 17, 2018
4. Steak de la Hameed Haroon pic.twitter.com/0T6afawZJ4
— Ahsan Khan (@Ahsan_Khan05) July 17, 2018
Stephen Sackur : You say that FIFA worldcup was rigged in France's favor. WHERE IS YOUR EVIDENCE !!!!!!!!
Hameed Haroon : I think if you go to the social media, if you look at the trolls on SM, you might get some idea that there is large presence of French on SM#HameedHaroon
— Asfandyar Bhittani 🇵🇰 (@BhittaniKhannnn) July 17, 2018
Some people actually thought the interview went perfectly well given the alleged censorship and media’s inability to speak up clearly, in Pakistan. They felt that the CEO is being dragged in the dirt for no reason
Hameed Haroon on HardTalk was right on election engineering in Pakistan. Again, those who criticize the establishment's meddling are asked "what proof do you have?"
I'm sorry, have you not read the history of Pakistan? Or seen with your own eyes how there is a media clampdown?
— ایمان زینب (@ImaanZHazir) July 17, 2018
Just finished listening to the Hameed Haroon interview on Hardtalk. He is nowhere near as weak in the interview as people here are making him out to be. Out of a 23 minute interview he is probably unprepared/weak on about two questions for a grand total of 3-4 minutes.
— Shaheryar Mirza (@mirza9) July 17, 2018
The problem is people are so hell bent on proving that one side is completely out of their mind, that the truth is lost. If anyone believes that Pakistan's democracy reigns supreme over the deep state, or that the deep state stays out of politics – they are ignorant of history.
— Shaheryar Mirza (@mirza9) July 17, 2018
Anyone who disagrees with Hameed Haroon over the reality that Military establishment is behind the process of election engineering is either a
1)Youthia
2)boot licker
3)dumb idiot
4)All of the above— قدم بڑھاو نواز شریف (@ShoaibQureshi93) July 17, 2018
At one point during the interview, Hameed had also alluded to certain ‘second tier politicians,'(the interviewer concluded it to be Imran Khan), rising up with the military, insinuating that Imran has been working with the military to which of course, Mr. Khan took notice.
Imran Khan totally ripped apart Dawn for allegedly being biased against his party
The blatant bias of Dawn against PTI has now come out in the open. So much for Dawn's neutral and liberal credentials! Complete farce! Full marks to Stevan Sackur for exposing Dawn in his BBC HardTalk interview.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) July 17, 2018
Of which Mr.Sackur, also took notice.
Seems like my interview with Hameed Haroon, boss of @dawn_com has caused quite a stir in #Pakistan…. Hope Pakistanis embrace concept of rigorously, courteously questioning all key public figures this election season… https://t.co/8qxOmBXRYx
— stephen sackur (@stephensackur) July 17, 2018
Suffice to say, the interview was not the best way to shed light on the progress and political stability of our country, especially while going into our general elections.
In fact, if we can learn anything from this interview, it is the power of the media not only in our country but its role in our democracy. We are the technological generation. Most of our kids are born with an iPad in their hands, not a book. And no matter how unfortunate we may think it is, it is the reality that the media’s influence is prevalent everywhere. So of course, the media’s role in our lives is under strict scrutiny.
When it comes to these general elections, the media is playing a bigger role in our democratic process, more than ever. Instead of sitting around and pitting ourselves against each other, we should be working together in spreading awareness and knowledge around the things that really matter this election season.
Even though everything Hameed alluded to may be coming from some sort of factual information, the fact that we are sitting around stitching conspiracy theories together THIS close to election day is absolutely baffling and unacceptable. The focus needs to be on change, progress, and unity. Being in the position that we are now, the only way to look is ahead, not back.
What did you think of the interview? Listen to the full thing here, and let us know what you think in the comments below.
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Cover photo source: BBC World Service