Baseless allegations against reporter: Journalist community seeks apology from KP adviser

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Union of Journalists (KhUJ) and Peshawar Press Club (PPC) on Thursday criticised the Adviser to KP Chief Minister on Social Welfare Mashaal Yousafzai for leveling baseless allegations against Geo News reporter Nadia Saboohi.

The condemnation came at a joint meeting of the office-bearers of the KhUJ and PPC. Other senior journalists turned up as well at the meeting convened at the PPC.

KhUJ President Nasir Hussain and PPC President Arshad Aziz Malik said the KP adviser had tried to strain the provincial government relations with the journalist community by leveling such baseless allegations.

The office-bearers of the KhUJ and PPC asked Mashal Yousafzai to take back the statement she had made against the woman journalist, delete her tweet on the subject and offer an apology. They banned her entry into the PPC and announced a boycott of her coverage.

It may be mentioned here that the Geo News reporter had reported that a summary had been prepared to buy new vehicles for the adviser on social welfare and secretary.

The reporter had contacted the adviser to get the story confirmed and have her version. The adviser confirmed the report but said the summary had not been forwarded to the chief minister yet.

Nadia Saboohi ran the story which contained the version of Mashaal Yousufzai. But the adviser in a statement accused the reporter of demanding money from her and running the story when her request was not entertained. The adviser ran a social media campaign against the reporter as well by posting a tweet.

Not content with that, the adviser levelled allegations against her own Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Moazzam Butt after accusing him of being behind the issue. But he rejected the charges and asked Chief Minister Sardar Ali Amin Gandpur to launch an investigation against Mashaal Yousafzai on the matter.