Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif’s blunt reply to an Indian journalist’s question on cross-border terrorism elicited strong reactions from Indian social media users.

Upon arrival at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), when a reporter from Asian News International (ANI) asked the premier on Friday, “When are you going to stop cross-border terrorism?” he shot back that Pakistan is “defeating” India in cross-border terrorism. 

Viewing PM Shehbaz’s sharp response, many Indian netizens took no time to slam the ANI and its reporter, with some raising questions about journalism ethics.

A social media user, while calling the question “powerful,” expressed concern, saying, “Pakistan will try something similar with EAM (External Affairs Minister) Jaishankar tonight!!”.

One netizen called it a “Media stunt”. The user said, “If Indians need to stop terrorism that emanates from Pakistan, the fight would have to be on the battleground and not on media space.”

One social media account called it the “worst form of journalism,” and another rebuked the journalist, calling her “shameful”, for degrading the standards of the profession.

“I feel sorry for the woman asking a question; she got slapped so hard in front of fellow journalists that she suddenly became defensive,” said another.

 
One user advised the reporter to “stick to journalism not activism”. Another called out ANI, saying that it has asked “more questions to the Pakistani PM than he asked to the Indian PM in 4000 days.”

“ANI must be taught how to interview,” one person maintained, while another stated that “Godi journalists [are a] source of embarrassment for Indians around the world”.

One particularly scathing post read: “Entire ANI and its loonie toons are perfect clowns, who leave no stone unturned each week to bring SHAME upon India on the global stage.”