“Barrister Gohar Khan’s Defense of Gandapur Sparks Controversy”

• “Barrister Gohar Khan’s Defense of Gandapur Stirs National Debate”

• “Kashif Abbasi Grills Barrister Gohar Khan on Gandapur’s Peshawar Journey”

• “PTI’s Gohar Khan Criticized for Defending Gandapur’s Claims on ARY Show”

• “Political Temptations Lead to Barrister Gohar Khan’s Tarnished Image”

In a recent episode of ARY’s talk show hosted by Kashif Abbasi, PTI’s Barrister Gohar Khan made an unexpected defense of Gandapur’s claims about crossing twelve districts to reach Peshawar. His narrative was so outlandish that even Gandapur himself would likely be left baffled and amused. As per his usual approach, Kashif Abbasi grilled Gohar Khan with pointed questions.

Barrister Gohar Khan is regarded as a fresh, intellectual addition to Pakistani politics after a long time. He is a well-educated and refined individual. But does securing an MNA seat or fame justify tarnishing one’s personal integrity and reputation, especially for Gandapur? It is true that a lawyer’s training equips them to defend any case or individual, even if they are guilty, fraudulent, or deceitful.

However, some honorable lawyers (though only a few) ensure the innocence of their clients before taking a brief, thus fighting with conviction and moral strength, often winning cases. These lawyers do not take cases just for fame or money; for them, honor and reputation matter more.

Gohar Khan knows that for 25 minutes straight, he defended a case in which he was aware his client was lying, and the entire nation, including his own party, was ridiculing him for it.

This incident reminds me of a similar situation years ago when Kashif Abbasi interviewed PML-N’s MNA Saad Rafique. Abbasi pressed Rafique on tough questions about Hamza Shahbaz’s omissions and commissions, to which Rafique responded, “I am not Hamza Shahbaz’s spokesperson to defend his actions.”

Gohar Khan could have taken the same honorable route as Saad Rafique but instead spent 25 minutes defending lies with more lies, damaging his own image in the process. He could have given a truthful response but instead fell prey to political temptations.

Another decent, respectable individual has now been swept away by politics. Once again, an honorable person has lost themselves in the pursuit of fame, power, and political ambition.