Friday, July 17, 2015
Pakistan - Reham Khan in the dock
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan’s wife Reham Khan has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. She has been accused of telling a lie about her academic credentials and the name of the institution where she pursued her journalism degree. “Reham Khan has not been truthful about her qualification,” disclosed the Daily Mail that first broke the news of her marriage with the PTI chief. The British newspaper stated that the college from which Reham Khan claims she did her course in Broadcast Journalism does not even offer that course. The degree controversy has suddenly turned into a subject of national debate. It has taken the shape of a damaging scandal. Earlier, the MQM was in the dock when the BBC published a story alleging that the party had links with the Indian agency RAW. At that time, Imran Khan had advised Altaf Hussain to sue the UK newspaper oblivious of the fact that he himself can be caught up in a similar situation.
Whether the degree is fake or genuine, Ms Reham should come up with a convincing reply. Through her statements in the social media, she has criticised the British newspaper and Pakistani TV channels. Following the controversy and uproar caused by the Daily Mail’s article, the name of the institution on Reham Khan’s official website was changed to Grimsby Institute, which has further blemished her image. She needs to respond in a convincing way to the allegations. She needs to set the record straight. PTI spokesperson Naeemul Haq has said that this issue is Reham Khan's "personal matter" and can only be clarified by her. But the PTI leadership needs to understand that after her marriage with Imran Khan, who is a vocal politician at the national level, Reham Khan has also come into the spotlight. She has become a public figure and cannot evade such criticism. She should be ready to face public scrutiny of her acts and statements. She needs to come clean before the public and also provide proof of her academic qualifications. She should be forthright and courageous enough to clear her position and give a befitting reply to her critics. After all this is a very embarrassing situation for the wife of the leader of a mainstream political party.
Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Greets Muslims on Eid
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“We bow our heads in gratitude to Allah on this day for blessing us with the bounties of the holy month of Ramazan. For the Muslims it is a thanksgiving day and I wish to greet Muslims throughout the world in general and of Pakistan in particular on this occasion.This has been stated by Chairman Pakistan Peoples’ Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in his message on the eve of Eid ul Fitr today.A festive occasion like this however has relevance only when festivities and celebrations are genuinely shared with many he said and called for helping the poor and the needy.
“We should reach out to the poor and the needy, the internally displaced persons and all those who have been hit by militancy and violence in one way or the other”.
“On this Eid let us also spare a thought for those members of our armed forces, the police, the law enforcing agencies and civilians who laid down their lives in the fight against militants so that we may truly celebrate Eid in peace.
“May Allah in His infinite mercy grant our supplications and guide us to imbibe the spirit of Ramazan throughout the year and to employ that spirit in rebuilding the lives of the people disrupted by extremists and militants, natural disasters and internal displacements”.
Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari sends a special message to APS attack victims on Eid
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“The over one hundred forty students, teachers and staff members should have been celebrating Eid like the rest of the nation had they not been assassinated by the callous enemy.
“We salute these young martyrs. They are our national heroes and heroines. Their courage and supreme sacrifice united the nation as never before in the fight against militancy. We owe it to their memory to take the fight to the door of the enemy and exterminate them from our midst. We will.
“No words are powerful or soothing enough to extricate the parents and guardians of the martyred students from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. The sacrifice of your sons, daughters and wards is etched in the collective memory of the nation’s consciousness, never to be erased. The nation’s thoughts and prayers are with you”.