Reham Khan terms Daily Mail report baseless

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 15 July 2015

Reham Khan has dismissed a report by the Daily Mail disputing her journalism qualifications. She emphasizes her completed diploma and challenges the motives behind the report.

Summary

ISLAMABAD: Reham Khan, broadcast journalist and wife of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan, Wednesday dismissed a report published in UK's Daily Mail questioning her journalism course that she is said to have registered for.

She said that she has never claimed to have a degree in broadcast journalism, as she has a completed diploma in broadcast media that she obtained from the Grimsby Institute Media Center. She also termed the report baseless and lacking reporting legwork. “There should be no need to clarify. However, I need to put the issue at rest.

I categorically state that after completing my BA I undertook a one year postgraduate course for a diploma in broadcast media at Grimsby Institute Media Center (code:0506BC34) which ended on 23rd June 2006,” she said. According to Rehman Khan, she received this after acquiring a Bachelors degree from the prestigious Jinnah College for Women, University of Peshawar.

Terming the campaign by a UK-based newspaper as malicious and baseless, Reham stated that the timing of the attack on her educational qualifications is highly suspicious as the country is currently looking towards UK authorities in another high profile case which is far more serious than the national media discussing her educational qualifications.

She said that the media should not get diverted by these “smoke screens” and should focus on matters that can help move towards the goal of ‘Naya Pakistan.’ Reham said such attacks are only aimed at detracting the masses from the real issues and that no such attacks can stop her from raising her voice on social issues.

Social media was abuzz after the Daily Mail published a report on Wednesday which claimed that the 'Broadcast Journalism' course that Reham has made known as part of her education does not exist.

The report quoted from Reham's personal website, which maintains that she clinched her post as BBC reporter after starting a postgraduate course in broadcast journalism from North Lindsey College in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire. Officials at the institute told Daily Mail that it does not offer such a course nor do they have Reham's name in their records.

“We do not have anyone by those names or date of birth having attended this college,” says a spokesman. “We have never done a degree in broadcast journalism.” Following the social media uproar after the report, the education credentials on Reham's personal website were changed.

The name of the institution where the journalist started her postgraduate was changed to Grimsby Institute, North East Lincolnshire. Reham referred to the revision as "additional" information.