ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has expressed dismay over malicious social media campaign targeting him and First Lady Bushra Bibi and termed it “pathetic and intolerable”.
The premier expressed these view while chairing a Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting of the ruling PTI in Islamabad on Monday.
Sources in the ruling PTI said that the prime minister was of the view that media freedom without regulations is devastating and such a smear campaign targeting personal lives should be discouraged.
Referring to the recent report published in an English weekly which indirectly implied that Premier Imran Khan and his wife had developed differences and the first lady had been living with her friend in Lahore, Khan rubbished such false and fabricated reports.
During the meeting, Minister of State for Information Farrukh Habib said that certain elements were involved in spreading “fake news” regarding premier’s personal life.
Without naming anyone, Farrukh called them to refrain from resorting to “cheap tactics” by dragging an apolitical woman into politics.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Shahbaz Gill said a legal action will be pursued against individuals propagating fake news.
“We are already contesting a case against [senior journalist] Najam Sethi for sharing fabricated news about the prime minister and his wife,” Gill said on social media.
“You can do politics and journalism, but propagating fake news about family members who are not in politics will be dealt with in a court of law.”
Farah Khan, a close friend of First Lady Bushra Bibi, on Sunday refuted rumours regarding any differences between PM Imran and his wife.
Taking to Twitter, she said that Bushra Bibi is living at Bani Gala, PM Imran’s residence in Islamabad, contrary to reports suggesting that she was staying at Farah Khan’s residence.
“Fake propaganda was being spread about the couple,” she added.
