Pakistani reporter Maira Hashmi whose video of slapping a boy on camera went viral has now issued a clarification explaining her action. Initially, the reports claimed that the boy was heckling the reporters. But now the 24-year-old journalist Maira Hashmi, who was reporting on the Eid al-Adha celebrations in Pakistan on July 9, has shared her side of the story via a Twitter post.
In a tweet in Urdu, she explained that it was not her, but rather the family she was interviewing who was being harassed by the boy. Hashmi even politely asked him to stop, but the boy went on with the heckling. Hence, Hashmi decided to put an end to his actions and slapped him.
“This guy was harassing the family during the interview - which made the family upset. I made sure his action wouldn’t be tolerated by giving him any opportunity,” the caption reads when translated loosely.
{{/usCountry}}“This guy was harassing the family during the interview - which made the family upset. I made sure his action wouldn’t be tolerated by giving him any opportunity,” the caption reads when translated loosely.
{{/usCountry}}When the video went viral, Twitter was left divided. While some social media users tweeted in support of the journalist saying, the boy must have misbehaved, several others said that her actions were unnecessary.
This time too, she received both applause and brickbats after she issued the explanation. Support poured in for Maira Hashmi as several users tweeted, “Well done,” and “Good job” with thumbs up emojis while some said it was unprofessional on her part.
“You did the right thing. Ignore the preachers around. Ye loug sirf social media py lecture dy skty judge kr skty hain. Ground situation mein jo hota hai wohi understand krta hai (These people just preach and judge others. Things like this do happen in on-ground situations at times),” tweeted a user.
Another Pakistani journalist with a verified account Sidhra Dhar tweeted in Urdu: “The reporter is not a social activist, but if the boy is being rude to a family in front of her despite her warning…they may do something like this (slapping). Even reporters face such difficult situations sometimes. Should they tolerate it? I am with you, you will endure.”
Others labelled her actions as a ‘publicity stunt’ and wrote: “She's lying. She uploaded this video by herself for seeking attention. But she didn't upload that part where boy was teasing a family (sic)”