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Tuesday April 23, 2024

What’s happening around Banigala and what are the objectives?

Viewpoint

By our correspondents
November 08, 2015
ISLAMABAD: It is not a pursuit of tracing the source of information of senior journalists. The issue is that while Imran Khan in his public appearances demands that his privacy must be respected and the divorce issue should not be discussed in the media, some senior journalists known for their closeness with the PTI chief are airing authentic ‘anti-Reham’ information which is so personal that only husband and wife could be in the know.
At a time when some saner elements are suggesting that even if Imran-Reham divorce issue should have been discussed in media as both the partners were celebrities, it must stop at least now - the confidential issues between husband and wife, all anti-Reham, are still being leaked to these senior journalists. There seems to be some objective behind this and which apparently is to pressurise Reham Khan.
Without going into controversy of Imran-Reham divorce and related issues, some points regarding news items are very important and need due consideration. A senior and respected journalist exclusively broke both the news; first marriage of Imran Khan and Reham Khan, denied by both, and later news of their divorce, again denied by both. According to journalistic standards these reports were excellent and can be termed as scoops of a seasoned journalist. The senior journalist also used to give exclusive stories in the past. His performance, according to journalist norms, remained superb.
While sharing news of divorce one and an half months before actual divorce, the senior journalist, who is known for his cool and calm temperament and adopting careful attitude while reporting stories, had also said that his news will be denied but these facts are undeniable. Now question arises here that even if affairs between husband and wife would reach to a point of no return, how can news of ‘divorce’ can be shared with such a level of certainty? It’s obvious that whatever are the circumstances, there is always a possibility of patch-up and no one will present this with hundred percent certainty without having direct information and surety.
It is a known fact that Banigala residence of the PTI chief was open for many of the party leaders and workers before his marriage with Reham Khan but residential area became a no-go area for almost everyone after the marriage - so question of leaking of many personal and private things happening within the house through close friends and top party leaders does not arise. A ‘Maharaj’ used to visit residential area of Banigala palace to teach music and ‘Khattak dance’ to one of the children of Reham Khan and Imran Khan not only disliked this but was seriously annoyed because of this activity. This information is true and confirmed now. But question arises as to who is now leaking this to these senior journalists when the PTI chief ‘wants’ an end to the discussion on divorce and related past issues and nobody knew what was happening inside the home? Reham Khan? An anchor who jointly hosts a programme with the senior journalist who broke both marriage and divorce news during a show used extremely offensive words like ‘kanjar-khana’ while narrating these music and dance classes in residence of Banigala. He, however, later apologised for using such bizarre words. A full depiction of inside of Banigala residence was being presented in a very negative and anti-Reham mode though nobody had access to the inside of residence premises and in fact Reham Khan had even sent Imran Khan’s personal servants and cooks packing after her arrival in Banigala. The post-divorce-news leakage of such information is not specific to one journalist but there is a set of senior media persons who are sharing such authentic personal information in a similar mode.
It was also interesting to note that the co-host with the senior journalist who broke both the news exclusively during one show of their programme asked the senior journalist to share details of eight hours long meeting between the later and the PTI chief. The senior journalist was almost stunned and announced break. There are many other questions which are boggling minds about purpose of such continuous leakage of personal matters. The objective is however not clear so far.