October 2, 2026
By Xari Jalil
LAHORE
Following the sudden removal of Munizae Jahangir as anchorperson of her talk show Spotlight on Aaj TV, the channel has now removed another senior journalist Farzana Ali from her position as Bureau Chief. The move came unexpectedly and has shocked the journalist community across the board, who view it as a form of censorship.
Farzana herself tweeted on X on October 1 about not being able to ask the right questions:
ملازمت سے فارغ کروا کر اگر یہ لگتا ہے کہ ہم سوال کرنا چھوڑ دیں گے تو یہ آپکی غلط فہمی ہے۔۔۔۔
سوال تو گا ۔۔۔ pic.twitter.com/AAth5EYanS
— Farzana Ali (@farzanaalispark) October 1, 2026
She acknowledged that journalist was not just her quest for truth it was also her livelihood.
Thanking everyone for their support, she said, “Journalism is my bread and butter… I left my city Dera Ismail Khan for journalism… Even in the most difficult times, despite threats from terrorists, I never abandoned journalism and I never will. Yes, now there won’t be a TV screen…I had a 20-year-and-one-month association with Aaj News, which has ended today. I wish this association had ended in a normal way rather than due to any pressure… in one sense, it’s good because the unknown is no longer unknown…”
Condemnations pour in
Journalists, human rights activsts and others who found out abt the removal of Farzana Ali were quick to condemn the move by the TV channel.
National Democratic Movement member Khushal Khan wrote on X:
In solidarity with and more power to @farzanaalispark. The first female bureau chief of a news organization in Pakhtunkhwa, a credible reporter who reports on critical issues, especially in Pakhtunkhwa, that the mainstream ignores. Removing her from her job will not silence her. https://t.co/g36U7DslEo
— Khushal Khan (@Khushal_Khattak) October 2, 2026
Khadim Hussain, Research consultant at Centre for Regional Policy and Dialogue, and Central Culture Secretary in Awami National Party (ANP) also commented.
Suffocation gets a bit more strangulating. The news of removing an upright journalist @farzanaalispark from her job at the behest of the powerful elite indicates the noose being tightened around fundamental rights and freedoms—particularly freedom of expression—in Pakistan. This… pic.twitter.com/eLwDoE4mPi
— Khadim Hussain (@Khadimhussain4) October 2, 2026
“It is extremely regrettable and condemnable that a brave and truth-speaking journalist like Farzana has been removed from her job in this manner,” commented journalist Matiullah Jan. “Farzana is a torchbearer for women journalists in Pakistan and also a pride of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.”
In response to Farzana Ali’s removal, the Peshawer Press Club also issued a statement expressing ‘deep concern, regret, and strong condemnation’ over the dismissal.
In the joint statement issued on Friday, President M. Riaz and General Secretary Alamgir Khan said that Farzana Ali was an experienced, courageous, and responsible journalist who has served the field of journalism professionally for a long time.
“Her termination from employment is not only a matter of serious concern for media circles but also raises troubling questions regarding the job security of journalists,” said the statement. “The Peshawar Press Club stands with Ms. Farzana Ali and affirms that the dismissal of journalists is completely unacceptable under any circumstances.”
They also stated that protecting the economic and professional rights of journalists working in media organizations was of utmost importance. The Peshawar Press Club demanded that the decision to terminate Farzana Ali be reconsidered and that the issue be resolved through mutual consultation and understanding.
The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ also expressed serious concern over the lay off of Farzana Ali., raising serious alarm over the growing denial of freedom of expression in the country. PFUJ said that ongoing pressure on media management to lay off senior journalists and anchors, calling it unconstitutional and a direct violation of the right to work.
PFUJ President Afzal Butt and Secretary General Arshad Ansari urged authorities to immediately cease such tactics intended to silence journalists.
Calling the systematic attempt to stifle the press alarming, the PFUJ leaders demanded full protection for freedom of speech, reminding authorities: “You can silence a voice, but you cannot silence an entire community,” they said.
Meanwhile, the Women Action Forum (Peshawar), and a collective called Feminist Fridays also issued a statement strongly condemning the removal.
“The decision represents a serious setback for women’s leadership, equal representation, and gender justice in Pakistan’s media sector,” said the joint statement. “It raises urgent concerns about the continuing exclusion of women from decision-making roles in an industry that remains overwhelmingly male-dominated, particularly at senior editorial and managerial levels. Farzana Ali has been a visible, courageous, and independent voice in journalism. She has been the only woman serving as Bureau Chief for a major TV news channel in KP. Her presence in this role was not merely an individual professional achievement; it was an important milestone for women journalists across the province who continue to confront structural discrimination, unequal access to leadership opportunities, workplace insecurity, and persistent gender bias.
Her leadership challenged long-standing barriers and demonstrated that women journalists are fully capable of leading newsrooms, shaping editorial priorities, reporting from difficult contexts, and contributing meaningfully to public discourse. Removing a woman of her standing from a senior leadership position risks eroding the limited gains women have made in media leadership and sends a deeply discouraging message to aspiring women journalists throughout Pakistan. Women’s representation in leadership must be expanded; not diminished.”
The statement said that media organisations have a public responsibility to uphold the principles of equality, dignity, non-discrimination, and fair professional advancement within their own institutions and this included ensuring that women journalists are not sidelined, or excluded from leadership roles because of their gender, professional independence, or willingness to speak truth to power.
WAF -Peshawar and Feminist Fridays called upon the management of Aaj News to reconsider the decision and ensure that it is not discriminatory or retaliatory in nature.
They also asked for clarity and transparency regarding the circumstances surrounding Farzana Ali’s removal; Uphold fair, merit-based, and gender-responsive institutional policies for appointments, promotions, and leadership roles; Demonstrate a clear commitment to retaining, protecting, and advancing women journalists in editorial and managerial decision-making positions.
The statement said that the media plays a fundamental role in shaping public opinion, advancing democratic values, and holding power to account. “It cannot credibly fulfil this role while reproducing exclusion and inequality within its own structures. Women journalists must not be treated as exceptions in leadership; they must be recognised as essential leaders, decision-makers, and equal contributors to Pakistan’s media landscape. We stand in unwavering solidarity with Farzana Ali and with all women journalists who continue to challenge discriminatory structures, defend independent journalism, and claim their rightful place in media leadership.”
Career
Farzana Ali entered journalism at a time when women were rarely being seen and heard in the news. She is best known as the first female Bureau Chief in KP for Aaj News. Over a career spanning more than 26 years, she has built a reputation as one of the most prominent female conflict reporters in South Asia.
Farzana Ali has also become a crucial voice covering the post-9/11 War on Terror in KP and the Newly Merged Districts (formerly FATA). She personally reported from active conflict zones, including Bajaur and Waziristan.
She has led live broadcasts and field reporting during critical security crises, major terror attacks (such as the 2008 Peepal Mandi and Qissa Khwani market bombings), counter-terrorism military operations (such as Operation Zarb-e-Azb), and the aftermath of the 2014 Army Public School (APS) massacre in Peshawar.
She has reported directly from Afghanistan following political shifts and the Taliban takeover, navigating complex security challenges as a female journalist in the field.
Beyond security conflict, her journalism has focused heavily on human rights, displaced persons (IDPs), missing persons, gender-based violence (GBV), and women’s political empowerment in KP.