Asma Shirazi facts for kids

Asma Shirazi is a well-known Pakistani journalist. She has won several awards for her brave and honest reporting. One of her most notable awards is the Peter Mackler Award for Courageous and Ethical Journalism, which she received in 2014.

She is also a political commentator, which means she shares her ideas and opinions about political events. Currently, she hosts a popular news show on Hum News that talks about important current events.

Early Life and Education

Asma Shirazi was born in Islamabad in 1976. She studied political science at Punjab University. Before becoming a TV journalist, she worked as a radio presenter for Radio Pakistan.

In 2001, she started working for Geo News. By 2006, Shirazi made history by becoming Pakistan's first female war correspondent. She reported from the 2006 Lebanon War and later from the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in 2009. Asma Shirazi is also a member of The Coalition For Women In Journalism.

Her Career in Journalism

Asma Shirazi began her journalism journey with PTV in 2000. She then moved to Geo News in 2002. Over the years, she gained a lot of experience as a reporter and TV host at many different channels.

After Geo News, she joined ARY News in 2007. There, she hosted a show about current events. In July 2010, she moved to SAMAA TV. She also hosted a very popular show called 'Faisla Aap Ka' on Dawn News.

Hosting Popular TV Shows

Asma Shirazi was recognized for her fair and thorough reporting. She won an award for 'Best Current Affairs Anchor'. In 2014, she hosted 'Faisla Awam Ka' for Dawn News. Later, she hosted 'Faisla Aap Ka' again, but this time on Aaj News.

She has worked at many Pakistani TV channels. These include Samaa TV, GEO News, ARY News, BOL News, Dawn News, and Express News. She also hosted a show about parliamentary affairs called Parliament Cafeteria. This show was stopped during a time when news was controlled in Pakistan. In October 2014, Shirazi joined BOL News as an Executive Vice President and Senior Anchorperson.

Reporting on Big Events

Shirazi has reported from the front lines of many important events. She covered the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict. She also reported on the Taliban violence near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in 2009. She was there to cover the state of emergency in Pakistan in 2007. Additionally, she reported on the terrible 2005 Kashmir earthquake.

Winning the Peter Mackler Award

Asma Shirazi is the first journalist from Pakistan to win the Peter Mackler Award for Courageous and Ethical Journalism. She received this important award on October 23, 2014. This award is given each year to a journalist who shows great dedication to fair reporting. It also honors those who stand up for media freedom.

The Director of Reporters Without Borders, Delphine Halgand, said that Shirazi's award celebrates the bravery of those who fight for freedom of information in Pakistan. Agence France-Presse (AFP) also praised her work. David Millikin, AFP's director for North America, said they were happy to recognize Asma Shirazi's courage. He noted her strong will in reporting on conflicts and politics in Pakistan, even when it was dangerous for her.

See Also

• Aaj News
• 92 News