Pak media blacks out Sharif heckling incident

Pakistani media blacked out coverage of the country's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif being heckled by a Baloch activist during his speech in the US.

On Friday, Ahmar Mustikhan interrupted Sharif's speech and demanded freedom of Balochistan Province, where the Pakistani Army has been engaged in acts of torture and killing of Baloch who are demanding freedom.

The activist also called Sharif a 'friend of Al Qaeda founder Osama Bin Laden'.

"I hope my small minute contribution will reach the ears of thousands of Baloch martyr families. My voice was also meant to expose Pakistan terror in Afghanistan and war crimes in Balochistan," Mustikhan told ANI in an exclusive interview.

The incident took place during Sharif's most anticipated visit to the United States. Even though the Pakistani media, including the Dawn, Geo TV, Express Tribune and The Nation left no stone unturned to cover each and every move of their Prime Minister, they conveniently choose to black out the coverage of a Baloch activist disrupting his address to a renowned think tank US Institute of Peace (USIP).

The question remains whether it is self censorship or an instruction from the higher ups.

The media in Pakistan frequently goes to the town discussing alleged atrocities in Indian-held Kashmir, but chooses to look in another direction when the worsening situation in Balochistan and Azad Kashmir is highlighted.

Sharif has raised the Kashmir issue at many international for a, but unfortunately, has maintained silence on security-related brutalities in the region.

The blackout also imposed a curb on freedom of expression of thousands of Pakistanis who have been struggling for freedom.