The government has expressed its displeasure over the publication of an article by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan in a British newspaper while he is in jail.
Caretaker Federal Information Minister Murtaza Solangi announced that a letter will be written to The Economist, the British journal that published the article, to address the matter.
In a social media post on the platform “X,” Caretaker Federal Minister for Information Murtaza Solangi shared his intention to write a letter to the editor of The Economist regarding the article attributed to Imran Khan.
He expressed surprise and concern over the publication of an article about an individual who is incarcerated and has been convicted.
Today, we are writing to the Editor of @TheEconomist about an article purportedly written by Mr. Imran Khan. It is puzzling and disconcerting that such an esteemed media outlet published an article in the name of an individual who is in jail and has been convicted.
— Murtaza Solangi (@murtazasolangi) January 5, 2024
We believe… pic.twitter.com/iU5UlbGMMv
Solangi emphasized the importance of upholding ethical standards and promoting responsible journalism. He expressed curiosity about the editorial decision-making process at The Economist, seeking clarity on what considerations were made regarding the legitimacy and credibility of the content.
The minister also inquired whether the publication had ever featured similar ghostwritten articles by jailed politicians from other parts of the world. Taking to Twitter, the federal minister highlighted the potential misuse of such opportunities by incarcerated individuals to air one-sided grievances if given the freedom to contribute to the media.
It’s worth noting that Imran Khan had written an article for The Economist on February 8, discussing general elections and the country's economic situation. In the piece, the PTI founder predicted an economic disaster and labeled the upcoming general elections as a spectacle. He also alleged that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was eager to deprive PTI of its electoral rights.