The PTI claimed that the report by The Economist, widely circulated on social media, was nothing more than recycled propaganda masquerading as foreign commentary.
The report covered PTI founder Imran Khan’s marriage to Bushra Bibi and her alleged role and extent of influence in his decision-making during his tenure as prime minister. Imran married Bushra in 2018.
An official response, issued by the party’s media wing, claimed that co-writer Bushra Taskeen was a known critic of PTI and the “so-called” analysis published in the report was to justify political victimisation and distract attention from real crises about human rights violations, economic collapse, constitutional violations and stolen elections.
The party said it had the right to initiate legal action against all parties involved, including the writers and publication, if they fail to issue an immediate, full, and public apology.
“We have seen this narrative play out before. Half-truths, innuendo, selective outrage, all packaged and presented as ‘objective analysis’. This attempt to misrepresent facts is not intended to inform Pakistan or its people, but rather to justify political victimisation and distract attention from real crises about human rights violations, economic collapse, constitutional violations and systematically stolen elections,” it claimed.
“What is most striking is the convenient targeting of Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, who have been incarcerated for two years and three months, while the article remains silent on what has been happening in Pakistan for the last three years and seven months.
There is no mention of human rights violations, the rigged elections confirmed even by the Commonwealth observers, the hundreds of PTI supporters who have recently been convicted to 10-year sentences in fabricated cases, or the systematic political persecution the party has faced.
“Instead, the writers chose to focus on the personal lives of the country’s most popular and courageous leader, a man revered by millions of Pakistanis, while ignoring the glaring injustices inflicted on ordinary citizens, party members, and the democratic system itself.”
