Wajahat Saeed Khan, a journalist who was known for sympathetic view of Imran Khan before the latter's rise to power, has expressed disappointment at the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) measures against media, saying by late 2018, the government formulated policies that had started to 'destroy media'.
In a series of tweets to mark the second anniversary of 2018 general elections, he said that the media industry, which he had 'helped build with channel and publication launches over almost two decades was on its knees within months of his assuming power'.
According to Khan, he was relieved that he wasn't in Pakistan anymore. "My life, my love, my industry - journalism - has suffered under the Khan regime. So has almost every other sector that serves that country. Still, the establishment got what it wanted," he tweeted.
The media under the PTI government has suffered gravely. In addition to several measures to crub free speech, the government has on occasion stopped advertisement to the media houses that don't toe its line. Recently, a journalist was also briefly kidnapped in Islamabad for not ascribing to the government's views.
Wajahat S Khan said that before 2018, he was hopeful that Imran Khan would change the way this country worked. "Imran Khan had done what few politicians can do: he'd broken a system. In this case, Pakistan's notorious -- and static -- two-party system," he wrote.
"IK achieved something historic in 2018: the culmination of a two decade-long campaign," he said in a comment on his victory.
According to Wajahat S Khan, at the start of his government, Imran seemed 'inspired'. "And within weeks of his taking office, the PM Secretariat & Cabinet Division, Pak's twin power centers felt like a cross between a frat house, a bachelor's club, a drawing room, and worse," he said, saying that was the time when he decided to leave the country for higher education.
In a series of tweets to mark the second anniversary of 2018 general elections, he said that the media industry, which he had 'helped build with channel and publication launches over almost two decades was on its knees within months of his assuming power'.
I stayed on for a few days in the Cabinet Division, trying to get a feel for how government worked.
As a fly on the wall, I saw what Khan & Co were getting up to.
And frankly, I was appalled.
In parallel, by late 2018, Khan's policies had also begun to destroy Pak's media.
— Wajahat S. Khan (@WajSKhan) July 26, 2020
This was a sign.
My industry, which I'd helped build with channel & publication launches over almost two decades, was on its knees within months of his assuming power.
And within weeks of his taking office, the PM Secretariat & Cabinet Division, Pak's twin power centers...
— Wajahat S. Khan (@WajSKhan) July 26, 2020
According to Khan, he was relieved that he wasn't in Pakistan anymore. "My life, my love, my industry - journalism - has suffered under the Khan regime. So has almost every other sector that serves that country. Still, the establishment got what it wanted," he tweeted.
Today, on the second anniversary of his election, I'm sad to admit that I'm glad I left.
My life, my love, my industry - journalism - has suffered under the Khan regime.
So has almost every other sector that serves that country.
Still, the establishment got what it wanted...
— Wajahat S. Khan (@WajSKhan) July 26, 2020
The media under the PTI government has suffered gravely. In addition to several measures to crub free speech, the government has on occasion stopped advertisement to the media houses that don't toe its line. Recently, a journalist was also briefly kidnapped in Islamabad for not ascribing to the government's views.
Wajahat S Khan said that before 2018, he was hopeful that Imran Khan would change the way this country worked. "Imran Khan had done what few politicians can do: he'd broken a system. In this case, Pakistan's notorious -- and static -- two-party system," he wrote.
"IK achieved something historic in 2018: the culmination of a two decade-long campaign," he said in a comment on his victory.
According to Wajahat S Khan, at the start of his government, Imran seemed 'inspired'. "And within weeks of his taking office, the PM Secretariat & Cabinet Division, Pak's twin power centers felt like a cross between a frat house, a bachelor's club, a drawing room, and worse," he said, saying that was the time when he decided to leave the country for higher education.
...Felt like a cross between a frat house, a bachelor's club, a drawing room, and worse.
So, for me, it was over before it even started.
Before 2018 was a wrap, I had applied for graduate programs and decided to pivot back to school.
See, I was done.
Because Khan was done.
— Wajahat S. Khan (@WajSKhan) July 26, 2020