Journalist Hamid Mir has come under scrutiny after a fellow columnist exposed that he used to take Rs500,000 to get people recruited as assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs) in the police.
The revelation has raised questions about the practice of charging money to secure police jobs. The details of the revelation, including the circumstances in which the payments were reportedly made, would need to be independently verified.
Hamid Mir is among Pakistan’s best-known journalists and political commentators. He has hosted the political talk show Capital Talk on Geo News intermittently since 2002 and has written columns for Pakistani and international publications.
Born in Lahore on July 23, 1966, Mir comes from a journalistic family and has interviewed several prominent political leaders and world figures throughout his career. His interviewees have included former Pakistani prime ministers, presidents and senior international officials.
Mir has also contributed to the opinion section of The Washington Post since June 2021, further establishing his profile as a journalist with an international presence.
The Rs500,000 revelation puts the journalist under renewed scrutiny, particularly given his public profile and outspoken commentary on governance and accountability.
Hamid Mir has also been making unverified claims, saying that people are paid Rs500,000 to tweet against him.
He is also known for changing his opinions depending on what suits him. He has called the former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif both a thief and a hero.
He has also been exposed for having double standards on Lal Masjid Operation.
