Lawsuit against The Atlantic fuels press freedom concerns Meera walkout puts focus on Irshad Bhatti's interview ethics One article, no newsroom: Viral piece sparks debate on Pakistan media From regulation to resignations: Pakistan's media fault lines Asia press freedom: A week of pressure and progress Five reasons slow news days strengthen journalism Press freedom review: Detentions, digital control, and industry upheaval Chilling effect in media: The unseen pressure behind newsroom decisions South Asia sees 250 media rights violations in a year Media coverage of violence against women falls sharply globally Attack on Assamese newspaper deepens press safety concerns London arrests over Iran International attack The JournalismPakistan Global Media Brief | Edition 16 | April 17, 2026 Jahanzaib Haque takes helm as Nukta chief editor Khaleej Times at 48: A legacy newspaper navigating the digital age Lawsuit against The Atlantic fuels press freedom concerns Meera walkout puts focus on Irshad Bhatti's interview ethics One article, no newsroom: Viral piece sparks debate on Pakistan media From regulation to resignations: Pakistan's media fault lines Asia press freedom: A week of pressure and progress Five reasons slow news days strengthen journalism Press freedom review: Detentions, digital control, and industry upheaval Chilling effect in media: The unseen pressure behind newsroom decisions South Asia sees 250 media rights violations in a year Media coverage of violence against women falls sharply globally Attack on Assamese newspaper deepens press safety concerns London arrests over Iran International attack The JournalismPakistan Global Media Brief | Edition 16 | April 17, 2026 Jahanzaib Haque takes helm as Nukta chief editor Khaleej Times at 48: A legacy newspaper navigating the digital age
Logo
Janu
Heavyweights

Imran Khan's critics come to his defense after Indian journalist's tweet

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 26 December 2018

Join our WhatsApp channel

Imran Khan's critics come to his defense after Indian journalist's tweet
Prime Minister Imran Khan received unexpected support from his critics following a controversial tweet by an Indian journalist. The debate centers around the perception of secularism in Pakistan compared to India.

ISLAMABAD – Even the strong critics of Prime Minister Imran Khan came to his defense when an Indian journalist hinted that the difference between Pakistan and India was their understanding and practice of secularism.

Shekhar Gupta, the founder of online publication theprint.in, tweeted: “When Imran Khan wishes only Christians on Christmas, and Narendra Modi wishes everybody, it shows us the difference between India & Pakistan...”

Gupta’s tweet was about an article in ThePrint by Jyoti Malhotra in which she maintains that the prime minister Khan should not have used the words “all our Christian citizens” and instead the greeting should have been for everyone in Pakistan. The article also carries the tweet by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in which he wishes Merry Christmas to everyone.

Marvi Sirmed said Prime Minister Khan was not a minorities’ hater. “I'm a very strong and consistent critic of Mr. Khan's politics, but let's be fair Shekhar ji. Imran Khan is no hater of minorities. Certainly not involved in their massacre like the PM of worlds biggest, secular democracy. No?”

Khurram Husain also was taken aback by Gupta’s tweet. “Oh please! Khan is no hater of minorities, nor has he been involved in massacres like Modi. This article is a stretch and a half, drawing a silly equivalence based on a tweet!”

Key Points

  • Critics of Imran Khan defended him after an Indian journalist's tweet.
  • The tweet compared Khan's Christmas wishes to Modi's inclusive message.
  • Marvi Sirmed and Khurram Husain argued Khan is not anti-minority.
  • The discussion highlights differing views on secularism between India and Pakistan.
  • The debate was prompted by an article in ThePrint by Jyoti Malhotra.

Ask AI: Understand this story your way

AI Enabled

Dig deeper, ask anything — get instant context, background, and clarity.

Not sure what to choose? Try one of these.

The AI generates results based on your selected options
Your AI-generated results will appear here after you click the button.

Disclaimer: This feature is powered by AI and is intended to help readers explore and understand news stories more easily. While we strive for accuracy, AI-generated responses may occasionally be incomplete or reflect limitations in the underlying model. This feature does not represent the editorial views of JournalismPakistan. For our full, verified reporting, please refer to the original article.

Explore Further

Newsroom
Lawsuit against The Atlantic fuels press freedom concerns

Lawsuit against The Atlantic fuels press freedom concerns

 April 21, 2026 Kash Patel's defamation suit against The Atlantic has intensified scrutiny of legal pressures on journalists and raised concerns about press freedom.


Meera walkout puts focus on Irshad Bhatti's interview ethics

Meera walkout puts focus on Irshad Bhatti's interview ethics

 April 20, 2026 Irshad Bhatti's podcast interview with actor Meera drew criticism after he pressed personal topics and Meera walked out, sparking debate over media accountability.


One article, no newsroom: Viral piece sparks debate on Pakistan media

One article, no newsroom: Viral piece sparks debate on Pakistan media

 April 20, 2026 Dan Qayyum's viral article drew one million views in days, igniting debate about independent creators' reach and what it means for Pakistan's newsrooms.


Asia press freedom: A week of pressure and progress

Asia press freedom: A week of pressure and progress

 April 19, 2026 Across Asia, journalists faced growing legal pressure, expanded surveillance and attacks on media outlets, even as a key appointment boosted gender diversity.


Five reasons slow news days strengthen journalism

Five reasons slow news days strengthen journalism

 April 19, 2026 Slow news days give journalists time to verify facts, pursue in-depth reporting, and reduce errors, strengthening overall newsroom accuracy and long-form storytelling.


Popular Stories