Media Bias and Selective Grief: The Disparate Coverage of Maulana Khanzeb and Humaira Asghar’s Deaths in Pakistan

By Fazal Khaliq

The deaths of Maulana Khanzeb in Bajaur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Humaira Asghar in Karachi represent two tragic losses that have exposed deep-seated issues of media bias and ethnic disparities in Pakistan’s national narrative. While both individuals were prominent in their respective spheres, the mainstream media’s response to their deaths highlights a troubling pattern of selective attention, where ethnicity, profession, and geographic location appear to influence the extent and tone of coverage. The assassination of Maulana Khanzeb, a revered Pashtun leader and peace activist, received minimal attention compared to the extensive and prolonged focus on Humaira Asghar, a non-Pashtun showbiz actor. This disparity has fueled outrage among the Pashtun community, who perceive it as evidence of systemic bias against them in Pakistan’s media landscape.On July 10, 2025, Maulana Khanzeb, a senior leader of the Awami National Party (ANP), religious scholar, and peace advocate, was gunned down in a targeted attack in Shindai Mor, Bajaur, while campaigning for a peace march scheduled for July 13. The attack, which also claimed the life of his police guard, Sherzada, and injured three others, was described by local police as a deliberate act aimed at silencing a vocal critic of militancy and state policies in the tribal regions. Khanzeb was a towering figure in Bajaur, known for his scholarship, poetry, and activism for Pashtun rights, education, and environmental causes. His assassination sent shockwaves through the Pashtun community, with thousands attending his funeral in Nawagai and social media platforms flooded with tributes under hashtags like #KhanZebShaheed and #BajaurBleeds. ANP leaders, including Aimal Wali Khan and Mian Iftikhar Hussain, condemned the killing as an attack not only on their party but on “Pashtun consciousness and peace,” announcing three days of mourning and suspending political activities.Despite the gravity of Khanzeb’s death and its implications for political stability in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, mainstream media coverage was notably subdued. Major outlets like Dawn and The Express Tribune published brief reports, often relegated to secondary sections, while prime-time television debates largely overlooked the incident. Posts on X reflect the Pashtun community’s frustration, with users like accusing the media of ignoring Khanzeb’s killing due to his Pashtun identity and his criticism of state policies. This sentiment is compounded by the broader context of violence in the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), where targeted killings of tribal elders and activists have surged in 2025, yet receive scant national attention. The Pashtun community perceives this as a deliberate marginalization, with some labeling it a “genocide” of their voices for peace and justice.In stark contrast, the death of Humaira Asghar, a Pakistani actor and reality TV star, discovered in her Karachi apartment on July 9, 2025, has dominated national media for over a month. Asghar, a non-Pashtun from Lahore, was found in an advanced state of decomposition after police enforced a court-ordered eviction due to unpaid rent. Her career, spanning television dramas like Esaan Faramosh and reality shows like Tamasha Ghar, made her a recognizable figure in Pakistan’s entertainment industry. The circumstances of her death—potentially linked to mental health struggles or foul play—sparked widespread speculation and debate. Mainstream outlets, including Dawn, Geo News, and ARY, provided extensive coverage, with prime-time segments dissecting her life, career, and the mystery surrounding her death. Social media amplified this focus, with celebrities and fans expressing grief and raising awareness about mental health in the showbiz industry. A voice note purportedly from Asghar, expressing vulnerability, further fueled public interest, keeping her story in the headlines well into August 2025.The disparity in media attention between these two cases is striking. Khanzeb’s assassination, a politically significant event with implications for regional stability, was quickly overshadowed, while Asghar’s death, tied to the glamor of showbiz, received sustained coverage. Several factors contribute to this imbalance. First, the urban-rural divide plays a significant role. Karachi, as Pakistan’s media and economic hub, naturally draws more attention than Bajaur, a remote tribal district. Second, the entertainment industry’s visibility ensures that figures like Asghar, with a large Instagram following and a glamorous persona, resonate with urban audiences and media outlets reliant on viewership. Khanzeb, despite his influence among Pashtuns, operated in a politically volatile and less “marketable” context, making his story less appealing to profit-driven media houses.Most critically, the Pashtun community perceives this disparity as rooted in ethnic bias. Pashtuns, historically marginalized in Pakistan’s national narrative, argue that the media prioritizes stories involving non-Pashtun figures, particularly those from Punjab or Sindh, while downplaying violence and activism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the tribal areas. This perception is reinforced by the media’s tendency to frame Pashtun issues through a security lens, often ignoring the cultural and political contributions of figures like Khanzeb. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) condemned Khanzeb’s killing and called for a transparent investigation, yet even this received limited airtime compared to Asghar’s story, which was framed as a national tragedy.The contrasting coverage has broader implications for Pakistan’s social cohesion. The Pashtun community’s anger, expressed through protests and social media, reflects a growing distrust in national institutions, including the media. This distrust is exacerbated by the state’s perceived inaction against rising violence in the tribal regions, as evidenced by earlier attacks in Bajaur, such as the IED blast on July 2, 2025, that killed four people. The media’s role in shaping public perception is critical, and its failure to amplify Khanzeb’s story risks alienating an already vulnerable community, reinforcing narratives of exclusion and injustice.To address this imbalance, Pakistan’s media must adopt a more equitable approach to reporting, prioritizing stories based on their societal impact rather than sensationalism or ethnic affiliations. The deaths of both Maulana Khanzeb and Humaira Asghar are tragedies, but their unequal treatment reveals a troubling bias that undermines national unity. Khanzeb’s assassination demands as much attention as Asghar’s death, not only to honor his legacy as a peace advocate but to address the systemic issues of violence and marginalization in Pakistan’s tribal regions. Only through fair and inclusive coverage can the media bridge the divides that threaten to fracture Pakistan’s diverse society.Sources: