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Reham Khan returns to Pakistan 'to fulfill responsibility to media'
LAHORE: After being away for a month after her widely covered split with Imran Khan, journalist Reham Khan while speaking to the media in Lahore on Thursday said she returned Pakistan with a resolve to fulfill her responsibilities in the media.
When asked about her intentions to join politics Reham said, "Before politics, the filth in our society needs to be cleansed. Before you run a political movement, there is a great need for a social movement... What type of people are coming into politics ─ what kind of youth and how we enable them ─ and how we fulfil our responsibilities in the media. I've come with this resolve."
Speaking about her street child initiative, the TV journalist Khan said she did not start the programme because of any affiliation with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government or any political party.
The Khyber Pakhtukhwa government had appointed Reham Khan, the then wife of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran, as ambassador for street children to raise awareness about the rights of street children in the province.
"Child rights is my lifelong commitment. It has no relation with any government. People will be a part of it with me. If the governments want to join me, I will welcome them but so far I have not been contacted."
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Responding to questions regarding recent reports of threats against her life, Reham said, "I am a pathan, we know how to give our lives and fight. People think they will scare me, threaten me or use bad language with me because I'm a woman... When one is innocent and in the right, why should they be quiet?" she asked."
"It is not dignified to remain silent when people are abusing your and attacking your children. I would like to tell my Pakistani sisters and daughters that it is not respectable if someone sits on TV, in your street or in your neighbourhood and says wrong things about you and you stay quiet, we will have to change this prevailing culture."
"I came back because we should die in our mother's arms or on our front porch."
Responding to another questions about accusations that she had received money from (PTI) leaders, Reham said anyone who says she took money from the PTI leaders should prove where the money was taken from. "I have not taken flats from any PTI member," she said.
"I came to join the media because I want to represent people who show proof and facts on programmes. People who speak without evidence and level baseless allegations should not be tolerated on TV or listened to because it is not in our national interest."
Reham recently joined media group NEO TV. She was previously affiliated with Dawn News and BBC, and has been involved in the production of Pakistani film 'Janaan'.
Read: Imran Khan, Reham divorce with mutual consent
Reham had left Pakistan for London and to address a conference, on the same day the news of the end of her 10-month marriage with PTI chairman Imran Khan was announced.
The divorce announcement had stirred a fiery debate on social media, with fans and naysayers of both Khan and Reham posting their two cents and taking sides.
Also read: Reham Khan did not hit Imran, PTI clarifies
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