A recent article written by renowned journalist Asma Shirazi has created a fiasco among people especially PTI party supports in which she has claimed some shocking remarks against Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife.
It all started when the journalist shared her article on social media account and within a few hours, many PTI politicians voiced their strong disapproval and announced that they will not participate in her shows anymore.
Apart from that, many social media users started talking about the issue, some of them defended the article and most of them opposed it. But the real concern is why a renowned journalist like Shirazi would claim such allegations without proof.
Asma Shirazi’s column
Asma Shirazi in her article criticised the government without naming it or any individual, including the prime minister’s wife. The article, however, said the economy cannot be fixed by ‘slaughtering of goats’ or ‘spilling the blood of pigeons’.
He appealed to the journalist community and opposition to refrain from promoting dirty politics in Pakistan as it would not serve anyone. In short, she indirectly blamed the First Lady of black magic and her involvement in the existing political situation and the government’s handling of it.
Asma faces wrath
An article written by Asma Shirazi criticising the current economic conditions in the country and reports relating to supernatural remedies around Prime Minister Imran Khan’s private residence Banigala has made several social media users against her.
— PTI (@PTIofficial) October 19, 2021
Cabinet members broadside
Several local and international journalist organisations, expressed concern over her article and many politicians decided to school the journalists. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill demanded Asma Shirazi for allegedly maligning First Lady Bushra Bibi in an article.
Gill while opposing the article said: "You have every right to report news if you have the proof of it, but don't make news out of assumptions." He asked the journalist whether she was doing "all this after failing to find any scandal of the PM in the last three years".
He also alleged that she had good ties with PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz, saying it was routine for the journalist to speak with Maryam several times a day.
Gill maintained that the prime minister was elected by the people of Pakistan and had not come into power through backdoor like his predecessors. Shahbaz Gill, while referring to the PMLN leader Nawaz Sharif, said, "Mian Mafroor (fugitive) has been the ringleader of all mafias, whereas, in the past, only mafias under his influence had been given targeted subsidies.”
Shireen Mazari scolded her daughter for supporting the witchcraft stance on Twitter. Mazari said she is 'ashamed' that her daughter resorted to 'such low personalised unsubstantiated attacks' despite being a lawyer.
"You should know without any proof hurling such accusations is defamation. When all substantive issue-based criticism fails this level of a base personal attack is plain shameful," the minister said.
Maryam Nawaz's insinuations
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) Vice President Maryam Nawaz earlier this month made similar claims that Prime Minister Imran Khan makes appointments through magic spells, jins, and the occult.
She said that the PMLN would not allow Imran Khan to become a political martyr because of his government’s corruption, incompetence, and failures. "Imran is neither a constitutional nor an elected prime minister. He is occupying the seat of prime minister by ‘robbing’ the mandate of Nawaz Sharif."
According to Maryam, Imran Khan is running the affairs of the country on the basis of magic spells, occult, 'Jantar Mantar and Tota Fall'. She believed, "The whole country has been turned into an object of universal derision 'Tamasha' because you want to retain a person who runs your government and stalks your political opponents."
She said no one can fool the nation who know the real power wielders behind the PM. While talking to the media when someone asked why the appointment of the head of a security institution was turned into an issue, she said: "This happens when magic spells and ghosts take such decisions."
