"Meri family ko rape karny ki dhamkiyan de ja rahe hain"

A renowned sports journalist, Shoaib Jatt, was robbed of his mobile phone and other valuables at gunpoint in the Nazimabad area of Karachi on January 2 (Tuesday).

Talking to Dialogue Pakistan, Jatt said that two robbers riding a motorbike intercepted him near his residence at around 12:30-1 pm, forcibly looting his mobile phone and issuing life-threatening warnings.

"Following the robbery, the robbers threatened to kill me. I have lodged an FIR with the police and I am hopeful that justice will be served," the sports journalist said.

This unfortunate incident comes after a series of cyber threats directed at Jatt and his family over the past five to six months.

Jatt said that despite filing complaints with the Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA) cyber crime wing, the perpetrators behind these threats remain elusive.

Without naming anyone, he claimed that some people orchestrated paid campaigns aimed at harassing him mentally, derailing him from his journalistic narrative.

"I'm not part of any agenda. If I stop exposing the truth due to harassment and threats, I must stop doing journalism," he said expressing his determination to continue his work. 

"If there is a culture of demerit in the team, it's my job to raise my voice against this. I always talk about justice, not hatred," Jatt added.

"It's easy to create controversy around someone speaking the truth. I have introduced a new direction in sports journalism, showing behind-the-scenes and dressing-room matters. I am paying the price for presenting facts."

Jatt urged his critics and haters to engage in respectful dialogue, saying "It's better to give me rebuttal with stats instead of threatening me. Criticise me, challenge my opinions, but do so in a respectful manner. It's better to provide a rebuttal with statistics than resort to threats."