EMMY & AWARD WINNING INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST
I go where the story is.
Hi I'm Suddaf. I'm an Emmy and Award-winning investigative journalist and producer specialising in undercover investigations, human rights abuses, and geopolitical conflict across South Asia, the Middle East, and volatile global terrains.
"I've been privileged to work in several countries and lift the curtain on what really happens."
Documentary Film Maker
Investigative Journalist
Foreign Correspondent
ABOUT SUDDAF
My gig is based on an extensive source network and rigorous training from the Centre for Investigative Journalism and Google News Initiative.
My focus is on translating complex geopolitical dynamics into compelling visual narratives and breaking critical stories.
Emmy & Peabody award-winning investigative journalist and producer.
My work spans hostile-environment field reporting, high-stakes undercover operations, and solution-based multimedia storytelling. I’ve been privileged to work in several countries and lift the curtain on what really happens.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS & BROADCAST WORK
01
Undercover Investigations:
Investigative Producer & Development Specialist
As an investigative producer specialising in high-stakes global financial corruption, institutional accountability, and geopolitical scandals, my work for the Al Jazeera Investigative Unit (IJU) ranges from deep-dive broadcast investigations to long-term story development across complex jurisdictions.
02
Afghanistan:
Spent four years on the ground documenting the fall of Kabul, live-reporting the Taliban takeover, breaking early coverage on the Daesh threat, and producing an Emmy-winning documentary for VICE alongside work for Channel 4’s Dispatches, BBC, and CNN. I’ve worked on a documentary for the Al Jazeera Investigative Unit for two and a half years on what happened to the trillions of dollars in aid money that the West poured into Afghanistan, which is supported by a three-part podcast that has yet to be released by the channel. - The wait continues……..
03
Lebanon:
Conflict & Gender-Focused Reporting
I provided ground-level coverage of the 2024 and 2026 wars between Lebanon and Israel, documenting the evolving military realities and human toll of the conflict. My reporting focused on the lived experiences of women—the crucial, unrecognised architects sustaining communities and driving resilience on the frontlines, whose pivotal roles are frequently sidelined in traditional war reporting.
04
Geopolitical Reporting:
Middle East & South Asia Foreign Correspondent
As a print journalist specialising in geopolitics, military strategy, and transnational security issues shaping South Asia and the Middle East. My reporting focuses on the covert mechanics of statecraft, cross-border proxy networks, and the political exploitation of regional conflict.
05
Multimedia & Innovation:
Pioneered digital mapping and solution-oriented reporting on environmental threats, including an independent multimedia initiative on South Asia’s looming water crisis.
Speaking Engagements
I was featured in the renowned Cambridge Union debate alongside Peter Frankopan, Peter Tatchell and Rowan Williams, where I discussed the coronavirus and its impact on humanity, and the challenges ahead at the overlap of two simultaneous global disruptions.
My field reporting in Pakistan has led to me being a panellist at Af-Pak discussions at Chatham House, where I contribute analysis on geopolitical developments across South Asia and the wider region.
Safety & Standards
I am a member of the Frontline Freelance Register and have carried out hostile environment training. I adhere firmly to the ACOS Alliance principles of freelance journalist safety and ethical news-gathering.
I serve on the board of the ACOS Alliance Industry Standards for Safety Training and am a mentor at Second Source, where I support female journalists who are new to the field.
Print Publications
A particular focus of my work has been the relationship between the Middle East and South Asia — the warring factions of Iran, Saudi Arabia, India and Pakistan. I often work alone, undercover and in closed and difficult countries. As a freelancer, I have taken significant risks to report on investigations including the recruitment of Pakistani Shia militias by Iran to fight in Syria.
I wrote for The Telegraph from Afghanistan, documenting the challenging future for women under the Islamic Emirate and the American drone strike in Kabul. For Middle East Eye, I covered the dark underbelly of petrol and child smuggling on the border region between Iran and Pakistan, and investigated the criminal infrastructure of diesel and drug smuggling connected to the illegal network of child smuggling between the two countries.
My investigative writing and field reports have appeared in CNN International, The Independent, The Telegraph, New Statesman, Middle East Eye, VICE, openDemocracy, Al Jazeera and Service 95.
AVAILBLE FOR COMMISSIONS
Want to work together?
Investigations, broadcast projects, speaking engagements, and long-form documentary work.