A private Pakistani television channel, Aaj News, in its allegedly satirical program, labelled illegal Afghan refugees as being involved in terrorism, robbery, smuggling and numerous criminal incidents.
A presenter of the show asked, “Is the government’s decision to deport them from this country appropriate? But if those Afghans who go back to Afghanistan, who will clean up the filth in Pakistan?” His colleague replied that “there are other people to clean up the mess.”
Journalist Tahir Khan in Islamabad wrote, “I want to speak harshly about this video, but it would not be appropriate. I must say that such a reputable and well‑named institution should not have been approached by these garbage script‑writers and editors.”
Another Pakistani journalist, Hermit Singh, wrote, “This is the main standard and status of Punjabi media channels, where a few low‑thinking individuals produce such superficial and irresponsible broadcasts, thereby causing the defamation of all journalism. Insulting any nation is not journalism, rather, it is the shamelessness of sick‑minded people, which has lowered the media standard to the point of shame.”
These reactions compelled the management of the Pakistani television channel to apologize to the public.
Apology aired through tickers
— Shahab Zuberi (@zuberishahab) November 19, 2025
آج انٹرٹینمنٹ پر افغان باشندوں کیلئے نامناسب الفاظ نشر ہوئے
ادارہ تمام اقوام کی عزت و تکریم پر کاربند ہے
آج انٹرٹینمنٹ نادانستہ غلطی پر معذرت خواہ ہے
ذمہ داران کے خلاف کارروائی کی جا رہی ہے
The network’s executive chief, Shahab Zuberi, wrote on his X page, “This organization is committed to the honor and respect of all peoples. AJJ, Entertainment apologizes for this inadvertent mistake. Legal action will be taken against those responsible.”
Government agencies in Pakistan have so far not shown any response regarding this broadcast.
The discussion emerges at a time when, following recent tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, government policies toward refugees have become stricter.
In Islamabad, the Taliban government’s ambassador, Sardar Ahmad Shakeeb, recently accused the Pakistani government of illegal conduct towards Afghan refugees in violation of international norms, saying, “The police have been instructed to speed up the arrest and expulsion of refugees; they are making announcements in camps, mosques and public places telling Afghans to leave their homes and shops. Inform the police about them. Do not rent out houses.”
In Pakistan, Punjabis are regarded as an extremely biased and racist group among the other nationalities—Pashtuns, Afghans, Baloch, Kashmiris, Gilgitis, Siraikis and Sindhis.
They constantly profile all these peoples, but for the past 78 years, especially through regular media and through curriculum, and for the last 24 years through social and regular media, they have been targeting Afghan Pashtuns of Pakhtunkhwa province, and Afghan refugees, spewing racist, hate‑filled venom against them.
In doing so, they portray Pashtuns and Afghans as criminals, terrorists, ignorant and foolish. This work is carried out by writers and journalists of their own nation, Punjabi politicians, Punjabi religious clerics and ordinary Punjabis too.
Ariyan, a political Pashtun activist, responded to this video by saying that Afghans, because of war and forced migration, have indeed been compelled to work in the scrap‑metal trade along with many other businesses. However, Afghans are a hard‑working people who rely on the strength of their own hands and do not profit from others’ blood like Punjabis, nor do they run heroin businesses or run brothel houses like Punjabis race, nor are they a lazy, work‑shirking nation like Punjabis.
Therefore, do not label them as criminals, thieves, or “drag” -related, because those characteristics belong to the Punjabi race. Afghans are known worldwide for their honor and dignity.
Another Pashtun woman, Professor Rabia Gul, says that a nation’s collective upbringing and ethnic character become clear when we see how it treats other peoples, especially when those peoples are forced to flee war and seek refuge in another country.
This sort of Punjabi profiling does not diminish the honor and dignity of Afghans, who are known worldwide for their pride. In reality, however, Punjabis expose their low collective ethnicity, dirty upbringing, and collective prejudice and ignorance to the world.
The Punjabi bias, narrow‑mindedness, ignorance and envy have made all the surrounding nations, including Afghans, fed up.
It seems to us that the Punjabi muslim race in this region is a product of hatred and, because of its collective inferiority complex, is a mentally sick race.
