Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Gohar Ali Khan on Monday offered “unconditional apology” for Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s objectionable remarks about the journalist community during a speech at a rally in Islamabad.
A day earlier, addressing PTI supporters on the outskirts of the federal capital, Gandapur had accused journalists of “campaigning against the PTI,” and vowed to confront them. He had also urged party workers to identify and “undress” such journalists and alleged that several women journalists operated on a principle of “show me the money.”
Reacting to the remarks, journalist bodies had condemned Gandapur, demanded an apology and threatened to boycott all PTI appearances if the situation stagnant. Journalists covering parliamentary proceedings had also staged a token walkout, refusing to return to their duties unless the PTI tendered an apology.
Amidst the mounting outrage, Gohar offered an unconditional apology to local media, regretting that Gandapur’s remarks had hurt the sentiments of journalists. Claiming he had not heard Gandapur’s speech, Gohar said he had contacted the KP chief minister upon learning of it and contacted him, adding the PTI leader had apologized for his statement.
He claimed Gandapur’s remarks were not aimed at the entire journalist community, but limited to “one or two journalists.” He said the PTI was aware media had supported it and the party respected the journalist community.
Leader of the opposition Omar Ayub Khan also addressed the situation after the walkout and assured them that Gandapur would personally apologize for his offending remarks.
The matter was similarly raised before incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan on the sidelines of court proceedings at Adiala Jail. Claiming ignorance, Khan refused to comment on the matter.
Offensive remarks
Apart from the journalist community, Gandapur’s speech also offended government officials and feminists, as he threatened to “break” Imran Khan out of jail if he were not “legally” released within two weeks and vowed to descend on Lahore for the PTI’s next rally, regardless of permission.
Referring to his remarks against Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar regretted that Gandapur had challenged a woman on stage while refusing to take any action against rising militancy in his own province. He claimed the KP chief minister had sought to blame “poor attendance” at the rally on the Punjab chief minister and various institutions and urged Gandapur to behave in a manner befitting his position.
Similarly, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Vice President Senator Sherry Rehman condemned Gandapur’s remarks, lamenting the PTI was “once again promoting the politics of violence and chaos.” In a statement, she said the KP chief minister’s remarks against institutions were highly “condemnable,” and questioned if the PTI wished for the justice system to be operated by rallies and public gatherings.
“They have not learned from May 9. Do they still think that threats, violence, and anarchy have any place in politics?” she said, recalling that even when the PPP’s leaders had been incarcerated, others had not resorted to issuing threats to free them with force.
In a separate statement, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned Gandapur’s “inappropriate language” and called for political stability and unity to steer the country out of prevailing crises.