Deconstructing the Saga: Wajahat Khan
In the season finale of The Career Circus podcast, Wajahat Khan - the Emmy-nominated fearless reporter, author and entrepreneur - shared stories from a career spent reporting from 16 countries; including Pakistan and Afghanistan where he was bureau chief for NBC News.
Let’s unpack what made his stories so compelling.
Setting the Scene
The interview starts with high stakes: Wajahat has been banned by both the governments of both India and Pakistan (two governments who don’t on anything).
For anyone unfamiliar with the politics of Pakistan, this creates a sense of wonder: what could have led to Wajahat being banned?
Wajahat illustrates the power dynamics of Pakistan by describing “three-piece suits that Pakistan’s unelected representatives wear on meetings with the IMF. Their suits and their entourages cost more than the loans that they negotiate in these meetings”
This one anecdote captures the moment: Pakistan’s out of touch government has driven the country into the ground and the resulting poverty is being addressed through IMF loans.
Through this anecdote Wajahat paints a picture of the people ruling Pakistan and deciding to accuse him of aiding and abetting a mutiny.
After establishing this reality, Wajahat layers on the details: an unaccountable military regime is not held accountable due to domestic repression and diplomatic efforts abroad.
From here, Wajahat skillfully brings the story back to his situation in the here and now: he moved to America to escape repression but now fears for his safety in the United States due to the warm relationship between Pakistan and the United States.
This sense of danger is heightened by his admission that he may be on ICE’s radar and half-joke that he may need to move to Argentina due to the challenges he’s facing.
“I’m watching over my shoulder for ice coming in any minute now for my reporting.” - Wajahat Khan
The human behind the headlines
Broadcast journalists like Wajahat Khan often become household names. However, audiences may not know how such public figures navigate their own celebrity.
Wajahat demystifies this by shunning the celebrity that comes with his position before pivoting to what journalism looks like for him now that he operates independently.
“I hate my own celebrity. I think journalists should be very discreet.” - Wajahat Khan
He tells a story of isolation: independent journalists don’t have the luxury of editors, lawyers or insurance that come with reporting for a large org, which has made it easier for the government of Pakistan to label Wajahat a “digital terrorist”.
Despite this isolation, he describes how his spirits are buoyed by duas (prayers) and how this means more to him than any accolades.
This helps to humanise journalism as a profession and allows Wajahat to connect with his audience as he’s communicating that their support and prayers has a tangible impact on his life because of the dangers he faces.
The dangers he’s describing are quickly brought to life by his revelation that the FBI is checking on his welfare due to the threats he’s facing, and because of the global reach of South Asian governments.
Is it lonely? Yes. Is it difficult? Yes. Is it dangerous? Yes. Is it fun? Hell yeah! - Wajahat Khan
Occupational hazards
After establishing the isolation that comes with operating independently, Wajahat explains the occupational hazards that come with the territory, in a measured way that keeps heightening.
Firstly he establishes that in South Asia, reporters whose work is perceived to threaten those in power, can result in intimidation and violence.
Wajahat vividly paints his personal experience of this by recounting how his family has been subject to frozen bank accounts, threats and harassment.
They pry, they call, they threaten your family members. They block their bank accounts and their credit cards, which has happened to my family. They start tax audits. They even call your girlfriend to scare the bejesus out of her.
- Wajahat Khan
Then he heightens by telling the story of the tragic demise of Arshad Sharif, an investigative journalist and colleague of his, who fled to Dubai and then Kenya where he was eventually assassinated.
Next, he expands beyond one individual to describe the mortal danger that Pakistani journalists find themselves with around 20 journalists killed so far this year.
This is then contextualised by noting that it is a higher figure than war torn Afghanistan.
Key Factors Making These Stories Compelling
Candor and Vulnerability: Waj lifts the curtain on his life as a journalist on the run — not as a hero’s tale, but as one of loneliness, loss, duty and danger
Vivid, Culturally Layered Storytelling: He uses metaphors rooted in regional and cultural imagery: Pakistan as a “hybrid Honda,” its borders drawn by “drunk British diplomats,”
Moral Purpose and Emotional Stakes: He positions journalism as “not a choice…but a duty.” which creates moral tension: he could stay silent and safe, but he refuses
Expansive Context and Intellectual Depth: Waj situates his personal story within global context of declining press freedom
Wajahat’s stories combine candor, risk-taking and noblesse oblige, with life or death stakes against a geopolitical backdrop. This paints a vivid picture of human and family cost of professional pursuits.
For more from Wajahat, follow him on Substack.