Mediated Scandals and Blame Game: Hina Rabbani Khar, the First Pakistani Woman F..

Abstract

Using media framing as the guiding lens and drawing on the insights from qualitative content analysis, this study explores Hina Rabbani Khar, Pakistan’s first female foreign minister’s mediated scandal, gendered portrayals, and their potential impact on the audience. The data comprises 59 news stories, articles, and broadcasts from different channels collected during the first 16 months of her tenure. Results show that the media seldom focused on political agenda; instead jeopardized Khar’s position, profiled her to be in illicit relationships with Bilawal Bhutto Zardari that eclipsed her political achievements. For the international media has been way ahead of the national media, their preferences of sustaining gender polarities,therefore, transcend geographical boundaries. Change in the media’s approach of the women politicians’ coverage (especially those elevated to higher political positions) is, thus, desirable for confirming equitable media portrayals and accepting their position as equal to men in politics.