Who Is Gharida Farooqi? Pakistani Journalist Faces Massive Backlash Over ‘Revealing Green Outfit’ At Iran-US Talks In Islamabad, Internet Erupts

Pakistani journalist Gharida Farooqi has come under intense social media trolling over her attire while covering the recent Iran–US talks in Islamabad. Photos of Farooqi wearing a green co-ord set during the Islamabad peace talks quickly went viral, shifting attention away from the negotiations and triggering a wide-ranging online debate. Farooqi’s clothing choice drew criticism from several users who described it as unprofessional and inappropriate for a formal setting. Comparisons were also made with an Iranian journalist present at the event, whose attire, a full veil, was described by some as more aligned with traditional expectations. One social media user wrote, “The difference is clear it tells the story of Pakistan Islamic moral and social decline,” while another commented, “The Journalist with Hijab is far more beautiful than the green one,” referring to Farooqi.

Pakistani Social Media Users Divided Over Gharida Farooqi’s Clothes at Islamabad Peace Talks Venue  

However, the backlash was not unanimous. Some users defended the journalist, questioning the focus on her appearance instead of the significance of the diplomatic talks. 

A user identified as Muneeb Qadir posted on X, “Disgusted to see the reactions on Gharida Farooqi’s choice of clothing. What she’s wearing is quite routine in urban Pakistan. We’ve hosted the most high-stakes meeting between two warring countries & Pakistanis have still decided to focus their attention on a woman’s clothing.”

Farooqi, a senior journalist known for her reporting and anchoring, was present during the Islamabad peace talks involving US Vice President JD Vance and Iranian officials. Despite the geopolitical importance of the talks, public discourse online became largely centered on her appearance rather than the substance of the negotiations.

Who Is Gharida Farooqi?

 Gharida, a prominent figure in Pakistani media, has hosted programs across major television networks, including PTV Home, ATV, Dunya TV, Geo News, Samaa TV, and Express News. She has a master’s degree in mass communication and entered the media industry in 2004 as a media analyst with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), where she handled communications and media engagement for the armed forces until 2007. She later transitioned into broadcast journalism, starting as a newscaster and anchor at the state-owned Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV).

By 2017, Farooqi had risen to the position of Senior Anchor Person at Express News, where she was responsible for overseeing content production.

In 2024, Farooqi was awarded the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz on Pakistan Day in recognition of her contributions to journalism.

Gharida Farooqi Past Controversies 

In July 2017, the father of a teenage domestic worker filed a petition in a Lahore court, alleging that his daughter had been held in illegal detention at Farooqi’s residence for approximately six months without being allowed to contact her family.

Farooqi has also been the target of organised online harassment campaigns since at least 2016, with many of these attacks reportedly linked to supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

In 2022, former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan made controversial remarks regarding Farooqi while addressing concerns about harassment of female journalists. According to a report by The News International, Khan stated that Farooqi was “asking to be harassed online” by “invading male-dominated spaces.”

The comments were made during a meeting with a delegation from the National Press Club (NPC) and the Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) in Islamabad, where the issue of harassment of female journalists at political rallies was raised. Khan reportedly added that while he would issue special instructions to his supporters, “If she would invade male-dominated spaces, then she is bound to be harassed.”

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