Interview Saima Mohsin

Does new analysis affect your mood in any way?

It doesn’t affect my mood. It’s stressful and tense but that gives me an adrenaline rush; if you can’t handle the stress you shouldn’t be in a newsroom. You can’t allow your emotion to get the better of you when you are journalist; you must be impartial and objective; and get on with the job but you must feel something so that you can empathies with people and you’re covering. Every and again something strikes me and leave me thinking about the issue for some time to come.

Tell why you opted for this field. I didn’t want to be stuck in an office day out. I also talk a lot so I wanted to able to use that skill and meet new people and lean about them. I also think news is the key to accessing information about yourself, your envorment and the people around you, wither its your  Neighbor someone in a foreign country. Knowledge is power. Think about the media is revolutionizing Pakistan.

You have dealt with all types of issues in your show. Which issues do you personally feel most passionate about?

I love it when we cover story that has been ignored either by the rest of the media or by the power that be. I’m known for picking up an issue/point and not letting go until I get an answer. That is very satisfying. We did the issue of the potentially poisonous use of calcium carbide to ripen fruit.Most people did not know about it but if you touch or it eats it – it could kill you. It’s banned in most countries but widely use in Pakistan. We also covered the story of the title boy who lost his limbs to the irresponsible disposal of factory toxic waste. A viewer that paid for this treatment.

You were brought up in the UK. Would know prefer living in the UK or in Pakistan.

I love for the reason that both are of me and I am equally of them. I once wrote an article about my home – I said I have two. At the time it was Lahore and London now I call Karachi and London home, I see myself as being a British Pakistani, which means I have a good fortune to the part of two of fabulous cultures, Environment and Perspective. It’s all about your how you fuse the tow and reconcile your difference that makes its work. I hate the “them and us” attitude or lack of integration.

What inspires you?

To pull it could be anyone who is facing adversity but still mange’s to pull through and be a pillar of strength for themselves and those around them. Selflessness and hope is an inspiration. Two examples: the first, my mother bringing the sibling and me up alone in England after my father passed away. Secondly, a little girl I saw running up a mountain up a Kashmir to get to school early one morning…..she had rucksack on her back  full of books and were passing several collapsed building. It was freezing cold But her determination to get to school inspired me. I’ll never forget her.

What is your fan following like and do you enjoy being in the limelight?

I am surprised at how popular News eye has become in such a short span of time. As for me – I think people at first thought, “Who is the young British girl with her fancy accent and very different style”... now they realize I’ am not so young at all and a solid journalist whose been doing it for more then a decade – it’s not all about the accent! Having the fan base is a privilege and it’s nice to be appreciated. The stalkers are a bit scary!

What advise would you give to those aspiring to either the field of journalism?

Learn as much as possible about the media, it’s a vast and competitive industry. You need to get as much work experience as possible so you know that you like/don’t like and where you fit in. Secondly, networking, networking, networking, - make contact and keep them! Please remember accuracy above all and impartiality is your credibility. Lastly, don’t try to run before you can walk … enjoy the learning process.

Being part of an English news channel, how do you feel about communicating only with a fraction of the television – watching population?

I think it’s a myth. Yes, Urdu is the nation, first language but people are watching us from place you wouldn’t not believe, I get e- mails from allover Balochistan, NWFP, AJK, Sindh…from dadu to swat. Even Kabul and Cape Town now!

Newseye the day news from the Pakistan and Abroad, so people watch us because they know they won’t miss the news that matters.

Even if they don’t understand every thing I say, they can get the gist of it and the pictures. Some people even write in to say they want their kids to learn English so they tell them to watch Saima Mohsin