Islamabad: Pakistan’s Minister of Science and Technology, Fawad Chaudhry, “slapped” television journalist and anchorperson Mubasher Lucman at a wedding reception on Sunday causing social media uproar.
The slap that Chaudhry defends, followed an exchange of heated words between the two at the wedding reception of federal minister Mohsin Laghari’s son in Lahore this past weekend.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party members present on the occasion broke the scuffle which began when Lucman made allegations about Chaudhry’s possible involvement in Tik Tok star Hareem Shah scandal.
Shah has leveled repeated allegations against PTI politicians over the past few weeks and also posted leaked video and photographs of what might be dubbed as questionable behavior by some of the PTI’s senior members.
When the news hit Twitter, Chaudhry’s quote was tweeted by many. “People like Mubasher Lucman have nothing to do with journalism,” wrote the minister.
مبشر لقمان جیسے لوگوں کا صحافت سے کوئ تعلق نہیں یہ وہ طوائفیں ہیں جوصحافت میں گھس گئ ہیں، ایسے صحافتی دلالوں کو بے نقاب کرنا سب کا فرض ہے۔ https://t.co/5YQhc8eQMK
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) January 5, 2020
“You are no one to decide who is who,” a Twitter user commented underneath his host. “Being a lawyer urself..u [have] absolutely no excuse to repeat a savage fight with anyone.”
You are no one to decide who is who
Being a lawyer urself..u hv absolutely no excuse to repeat a savage fight with anyone— hope (@i_agent101) January 5, 2020
Sure enough by last night Fawad Chaudhry was trending and Pakistan Twitter trolled Chaudhry, Lucman and PTI’s cabinet.
When questioned about the incident on a Geo news show, Chaudhry doubled down and said it was his “right” to hit Lucman, words that also ignited a Twitter storm.
“I was having fun with this till now... but here is #FawadChaudhry, a minister in our government, justifying slapping someone in public he disagrees with,” wrote Twitter user Khurram Qureshi, “Is this your #NayaPakistan, @ImranKhanPTI sahib? Is this your leadership? Do you condone this?,” attached was a video of the interview.
I was having fun with this till now... but here is #FawadChaudhry, a minister in our government,justifying slapping someone in public he disagrees with
Is this your #NayaPakistan, @ImranKhanPTI sahib? Is this your leadership? Do you condone this?
— Khurram Qureshi (@qureshik74) January 5, 2020
Prime Minister Imran Khan has not commented on the incident.
Earlier in July last year, Chaudhry served a slap to journalist Sami Ibrahim, again at a wedding.
For being a wedding “slapper,” Twitter user Fawad Ali wrote, “Feel sorry for the people who invite Fawad Chaudhry to their weddings.”
Feel sorry for the people who invite Fawad Chaudhry to their weddings.#mubashirluqman #fawadchaudhry
— Fawad Ali (@HighonCarbz) January 5, 2020
Others thought the power of Hareem Shah to bring a minister to a slapping state needed to be noted, wrote Twitter user Hamza Kaleem, “Following the list of Most powerful persons in Pakistan 1: Hareem Shah. That’s All”
Following the list of Most powerful persons in Pakistan
1: Hareem Shah
That's All#mubashirluqman #FawadChaudhry— hamzakaleem (@hamzakaleem5) January 5, 2020
It was reported by local media late last night that Lucman plans on pursuing legal action against Chaudhry and submitted an application to file an FIR against the minister for “assault.”
In his FIR, Lucman said he was severely assaulted by Chaudhry and his guards and that he had two witnesses to attest this, Chaudhry refutes having guards at the reception with him.
