Aasma Sherazi

Aasma Sherazi is a senior Pakistani journalist and political commentator. She currently hosts a primetime current-affairs show on Hum News. Throughout her career, she has worked across several major networks including GEO News, ARY News, and SAMAA TV.

Early life and education

Aasma Sherazi was born in Islamabad in 1976. She attended the University of the Punjab to study political science. After completing her postgraduate degree, she began her professional journey as a radio presenter with Radio Pakistan. This early role provided her with foundational experience before she transitioned into television journalism.

Career

Sherazi started her career with PTV in 2000. She moved to GEO News in 2001 and later joined the network in 2002. During this period, she established herself as a versatile reporter and anchor. In 2006, she became Pakistan's first female war correspondent. She reported directly from the 2006 Lebanon War to provide on-the-ground coverage.

Her reporting duties expanded to include the 2005 Kashmir earthquake. She also covered the Taliban violence occurring on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in 2009. During the 2007 state of emergency announced by General Pervez Musharraf, she remained active in the media landscape. She hosted a program titled Parliament Cafeteria, which was eventually banned when Musharraf clamped down on independent news coverage. Sherazi was reported to be the only female anchor among the top six television anchors banned during that era.

In 2007, she joined ARY News as an anchor and host of current affairs programming. She later moved to SAMAA TV in July 2010. Her work at SAMAA TV included hosting the talk show "Faisla Aap Ka." She also hosted "Faisla Awam Ka" for Dawn News in 2014. Following this, she presented a different format of "Faisla Aap Ka" on Aaj News.

Sherazi has worked with many prominent Pakistani channels. These include BOL News, Dawn News, Express News, and Aaj News. On 24 October 2014, she joined BOL News in the roles of Executive Vice President and Senior Anchorperson. She remains a prominent figure in Pakistani media today.

Awards and recognition

Sherazi has received several professional accolades for her journalistic work. She was recognized as the "Best Current Affairs Anchor" for her unbiased and fair skills. On 23 October 2014, she became the first Pakistani journalist to win the Peter Mackler Award for Courageous and Ethical Journalism. This prestigious award is given annually to a single journalist who demonstrates a commitment to media freedoms.

Delphine Halgand, the Director of Reporters Without Borders, stated that the award pays tribute to those fighting for information in Pakistan. Agence France-Presse (AFP) also recognized her contributions to the field. David Millikin, the AFP director for North America, noted her courage and perseverance while reporting on conflict despite personal dangers. She is also a member of The Coalition For Women In Journalism.