Real Talk With Wajahat Kazmi – The Journalist With The Distinguished Thoughtfulness

Wajahat Kazmi is a journalist working in Pakistan and international media since 2010. He has the honor to work with DawnNews TV, Samaa TV, and a couple of newspapers in Pakistan. Apart from that, he has reported and written for the likes of BBC, CNN, Huffington Post, IBTimes, and more.

Wajahat Kazmi is an engaged individual with splendid and imaginative thoughts. He has been associated with the media business from an early age and has created some astounding news, current issues, and programming content. He’s inspired about photography, production, editing, and designing. Wajahat loves to make films and documentaries. Intermittently, he reports for BBC World News, BBC World Service Radio, BBC 4, CNN, and CTV.

Wahajat has been related to the main news channel of Pakistan, DawnNews, which is one of the greatest media gatherings of the nation. He also has been serving as a journalist and duplicate supervisor with a news office covering various beats, for example, sports, entertainment, and so on. Moreover, he has achieved to work as a maker of a sports show, “Sports Zone” which used to be broadcasted live three days every week.  He delivered short documentaries just as re-enactments and occasion-based shows, for example, during the World-T20, he did live shows with the notable cricketer, Moin Khan, and during the Champions Trophy 2013, he created shows with the most acclaimed cricketer, Shahid Afridi.

We are exceedingly thankful to Wajahat Kazmi for making out time out of his busy schedule to talk with SocialiteSpaces.

Please let us know briefly about yourself.

I entered journalism when I was in the last months of finishing my O Levels. I was 16 only back then and since I was into digital marketing and development, I got a gig to make a website for a local newspaper and provide them with an ePaper solution. During that journey, my colleagues recognized the flair in me for being a journalist and that is how my journey into journalism began.

How long does it take to become a Journalist?

There is no set time frame to become a journalist since this field requires an inborn passion to pursue the stories. A few years ago, Pakistan did not have good educational options for those who wanted to pursue a degree in journalism but in recent years most of the universities have launched some really good graduate programs for those who want to pursue a career as a journalist.

What qualities make good journalists?

There are different categories of journalists such as broadcast journalists, investigative journalists, and more, and each one of them requires different qualities. But courage and strength to stand with truth is a must if one needs to be a ‘good’ journalist.

Who do you think your competitors are?

I always appreciate the presence of healthy competition. Probably learned it in my days of playing professional cricket. So, I do not see any of my colleagues as competitors.

How do you feel about the regulation of social media and its effects on journalism?

Social media is a double-edged sword. It is beneficial as well as adverse. I personally feel that a little bit of moderation is in fact required since sometimes the debates on social media end up in really messed up situations. For journalism, as long as ethics are being followed, I do not see any reason for regulation of the social media.

How do you manage the stress of tight deadlines?

Deadlines are stressful at times but with proper planning and roadmap, I try my best to meet them on my end unless delays happen due to factors beyond my control.

There comes great responsibility when you are a part of something like Journalism. What pressure do you feel on your shoulders being a journalist?

Yes, that is true. I personally feel that positive reporting of news and facts should be the basis of journalism. Apart from that, journalists are usually well-connected with people from all aspects of life and it is our responsibility to raise voice for those who are going through tormenting times for whatsoever reasons.

You are an active member of social media, especially Twitter. What pros and cons do you think social media has?

I have personally solved countless issues and cases of people who approach me on Twitter be it civic issues or health-related problems. I am proud of the people of my country who never hesitate in supporting all these kinds of cause. But apart from that, social media especially Twitter, has been becoming really toxic in recent times with people abusing and cursing each other without having any guilt.

 How do you manage when people spread rumors about you?

There are all sorts of people you come across when you have an account of public interest. Ignoring the ones who try to irritate you is the best solution for such situations. Since silence is the most eloquent reply.

Let us know about your journey. What kept you going?

I started journalism out of interest but now what keeps me going is the passion to be the voice of people and their interest.

What and who inspired you to join Journalism?

I was studying in grade 8th of Army Public School when they held a Young Journalist Competition in 2006/2007. I not only won the provincial level but went ahead to win the national final in Gujranwala. That is what inspired me to go ahead into journalism.

Did you ever experience the time when you lost hope and decided to leave journalism?

Yes, primarily during the era of 2012-2015 when the sectarian killings in Karachi were on peak. There were imminent threats looming over my head. And I resigned from DawnNews and took a break of a few months until I joined Samaa TV later that year.

We know that you have faced controversies and got over them too. Please share with us how to keep your haters away.

Same as I previously said, there will always be controversies and haters who try to create and find negativity. It does not deter me anymore but makes me more resilient in my work.

When you are part of media, multiple things disturb your professional space and sometimes personal space. How do you manage to handle such situations?

It is a con of being on social media and something we just learn to live with as life goes on.

As you have worked at national and international platforms. What difference have you experienced between the two?

The thorough level of professionalism which lacks in the Pakistani media. It is disappointing since most of the channels here have management based old ideas and people who are working in the field since broadcast journalism was not properly in place. They still like sticking to the old policies while journalism is changing rapidly and we need to adapt ASAP.

What quote inspires you the most?

Imam Hussain AS said, “Those who are silent when others are oppressed are guilty of oppression themselves.”

What is the worst situation have you faced due to your job?

When I was working full time, it used to get very difficult to find out time for my family and myself. My mother often used to complain about getting back home late since journalism is not a routine 9-5 job.

What is the strangest or most interesting thing you have ever written about or covered?

Covering general elections in the country is one of the most interesting things for me. With the number of things we have to research and data analyzing has got to be one of my top favorites.

What are the things you are most proud of having covered, from any time in your life?

There are so many of them, so it is hard to pinpoint one. From covering mega sports events to sad incidents like terrorism, I have had the chance to cover them all.

How would you describe your writing/coverage process?

I start with a basic fact-check and then delve deep down into different aspects of the story so that I can present both sides of the story rather than the one-sided stories we are used to of seeing/reading.

How do outside forces influence or shape your work?

Pakistani media is often influenced by politics since most of the media owners have their stakes and investments on different platforms. So at times, journalists are forced to follow the policy made clear by the channel which is totally unethical to me.

What is the most difficult part of your job?

Writing and showing the truth. People hate it. The fanboys start attacking you on a personal level like anything.

What makes you happiest about your job?

The only happy thing about journalism is that it has made me able to help people in the ways I can.

What advice would you like to give to the newcomers and the people who want to come to this field?

My only advice is to make sure that you never diverge from being a professional for the sake of money/fame/growth. This is also applicable to fields other than journalism.

What is the message would you like to convey to your friends and fans?

I love each and every one of you. You guys are the ones who keep me going and motivated and I am grateful to you all.