Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, issued an unconditional apology on Monday after Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister, Ali Amin Gandapur, made inappropriate comments about journalists during a speech at a political rally in Islamabad the day before.
Gandapur, known for his inflammatory rhetoric, harshly criticized journalists at the PTI’s major political gathering, accusing a group of reporters of running a campaign against the party. He also urged PTI supporters to identify and expose them, intensifying tensions.
In response, Gohar Ali Khan, speaking to Geo News, apologized on behalf of Gandapur, acknowledging that the chief minister’s remarks had hurt journalists. Gohar admitted he had not listened to the audio of Gandapur’s speech but had reached out to him as soon as he became aware of the controversy. Gandapur, according to Gohar, expressed regret during their conversation.
Gohar clarified that Gandapur’s remarks were not directed at the entire journalist community but at “one or two” individuals. Nevertheless, the chief minister still offered an apology for his words. Gohar also emphasized that the media had supported PTI in the past, and the party continues to respect journalists.
Commenting on the party’s two-week deadline for PTI founder Imran Khan’s release, Gohar stressed that PTI had no intention of engaging in confrontation. He described Gandapur’s comments as merely a “political statement” and reaffirmed that the party seeks legal recourse through the courts, not through conflict, to secure Imran Khan’s release.
Meanwhile, when journalists at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail questioned Imran Khan about Gandapur’s controversial remarks, the PTI founder claimed he was unaware of the comments. Some reporters expressed disbelief, given Imran’s knowledge of national events despite being in jail, but he insisted he was “completely unaware of what is happening outside.”
In a related development, parliamentary journalists staged a walkout from Senate and National Assembly sessions in protest against Gandapur’s offensive comments. Opposition Leader in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub Khan, immediately reached out to the journalists and offered an unconditional apology. After receiving assurances from Omar that Gandapur would also apologize, the journalists ended their boycott.
