Islamabad(Mudassar Iqbal); British Journalist Expelled from Pakistan After Trying to Meet Imran Khan, A British journalist who arrived in Pakistan to meet former Prime Minister Imran Khan in jail has been deported by the authorities.
The veteran journalist had sought permission from Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi through email to meet the PTI founder. The journalist informed the minister that he was not allowed to meet the PTI founder in jail despite the court’s order,
The journalist, who was not named, had traveled to Pakistan to interview Imran Khan, who is currently in custody facing corruption charges. However, upon arrival, the journalist was detained by immigration authorities and subsequently deported.
According to sources, the journalist was not granted permission to meet Imran Khan due to security concerns and sensitivities surrounding the former Prime Minister’s case.
“Pakistan has the right to control who enters its borders and for what purpose,” said a government official. “In this case, the journalist’s intentions were deemed not to be in line with our national interests.”
The deportation has raised concerns among journalist circles, with some criticizing the move as an attack on press freedom.
“This is a worrying development for journalists trying to do their job in Pakistan,” said a fellow journalist. “The government should allow free access to information and not restrict journalists from reporting on important stories.”
Imran Khan’s party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has also condemned the move, calling it an attempt to silence the media.
“The government is trying to hide the truth by deporting journalists who seek to expose it,” said a PTI spokesperson. “We demand that the government allow free access to Imran Khan and stop harassing journalists.”
A day earlier, the 72-year-old cricketer-turned-politician expressed his willingness to hold talks with the military in a bid to defuse the political crisis that gripped the country following his ouster in a no-trust vote in April 2022. A day earlier, the 72-year-old cricketer-turned-politician expressed his willingness to hold talks with the military in a bid to defuse the political crisis that gripped the country following his ouster in a no-trust vote in April 2022.
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The alleged deportation came four days after the journalist, who is said to be a friend of the PTI founder, revealed that he was barred from meeting Khan in prison.
The journalist, who arrived in Islamabad last week to see imprisoned Khan, had told the media: “I am here [in Pakistan] as a friend of Imran Khan, and not as a lawyer or an activist.”
Glass wrote an article on the World Press Freedom Day in May this year in support of Julian Assange and Imran Khan’s release, arguing that both were put behind bars for defying the United States.
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