Asma Shirazi

Asma Shirazi is a journalist and a senior anchorperson. She has a postgraduate degree in Political Science from the University of the Punjab, Lahore. She began her career at PTV in 2000 and then joined the launch team of GEO News in 2002. She worked at all major independent networks operating in Pakistan such as ARY News (2007); SAMAA TV (2010); and Dawn News Television (2012), before joining Aaj News as senior anchorperson and editor of current affairs where she hosts an authoritative talk show ‘Faisla Aap Ka’. She received the renowned Peter Mackler Award for Courage and Ethical Journalism in 2014. In her 20 years as a journalist, she has faced physical dangers, death threats and intimidation tactics, earning the respect of her superiors and colleagues alike, never giving in to pressures, whether they came from authorities or extremists. Shirazi is Pakistan’s first female war correspondent who covered the 2006 Lebanon-Israel War from the front for Geo News. She is also the first female parliamentary correspondent for electronic media in Pakistan. Her first broadcast show on parliamentary affairs titled, ‘Parliament Cafeteria,’ was widely popular across Pakistan until it was banned by the Musharraf regime. Asma Shirazi is a regular columnist for BBC News Urdu and has recently authored a book titled, Kahani Barray Ghar Ki.