British and American journalist Mehdi Hasan recently conducted an exclusive interview with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan from Adiala Jail. The interview was published on Hasan’s website, Zeteo.com, and has since become the center of a significant misunderstanding and controversy.
PML-N leader Hina Pervaiz Butt’s reaction to the interview highlighted a critical misinterpretation. The interview on Zeteo.com had “PAID” written under the headline, leading Butt to claim that Hasan was paid to publish the interview with Imran Khan. She shared a screenshot of the interview on her social media account, emphasizing the “PAID” label and captioned it, “Take money, give an interview.”
However, this claim backfired when both social media users and Mehdi Hasan himself clarified the actual meaning of “PAID.” Hasan responded to Butt’s tweet, explaining that “PAID” indicated that only Zeteo subscribers who had paid for the service could access the interview. He humorously criticized Butt’s lack of understanding, remarking, “Imagine a supposedly educated elected official being so ignorant and given to conspiracy theories.”
Hasan further elaborated, stating, “Even if we were paid to interview Imran Khan, why would we blatantly label it ‘PAID’ for everyone to see?” This explanation underscored the absurdity of the accusation and highlighted the subscription model of the website.
The misunderstanding was compounded when another PML-N supporter, Shama Junejo, echoed Butt’s claims. Hasan corrected Junejo as well, pointing out her bio’s numerous academic credentials and questioning her lack of common sense. He stated, “Despite displaying so many degrees in your bio, you completely missed the point.”
PTI leader Zulfi Bukhari also joined in, mocking Butt’s error by tweeting, “Hahaha, I can’t stop laughing. This poor provincial assembly member must be so embarrassed.”
The controversy further escalated with PTI’s Shehbaz Gill ridiculing Junejo, saying, “This lady has recently been given an award, but they are all incompetent. Her family named her Shama (candle), but it seems she has decided to become a sparkler.”
To address the confusion, a community note was added to Butt’s post on the social media platform, clarifying that her claim was misleading. The note explained that the “PAID” label simply indicated that the interview was accessible only to paying subscribers of Zeteo.com.
Community notes are a feature on the platform allowing users to add context or additional information to posts that might be misleading. This clarification aimed to correct the false impression created by Butt’s post and reaffirm the integrity of Hasan’s interview with Imran Khan.
This incident highlights the importance of verifying information before making public accusations and the potential for misunderstandings in the digital age.
