Kamran Khan (journalist)

Kamran Khan (Urdu: کامران خان‎) is a Pakistani investigative journalist as well as an espionage and intelligence commentator.^[1] He has recently joined Dunya media group as President and Editor-in-Chief on 3 June 2015. Previously, he was the director of the News Intelligence Unit (NIU), where he managed and published investigative reports for News International. He was the Geo TV's lead anchor during 'special news events' and landmark events. He announced on 24 July 2014 that he is leaving Geo TV, where he used to host nightly show Aaj Kamran Khan Ke Saath. His first stint on television as an anchor was on Geo's programme, "Frontline". Kamran Khan has now joined Dunya News Network.^[1][2]

Kamran Khan was also a special correspondent for the Washington Post. His reports and covered work on current events have appeared in the leading international newspapers including Washington Post, Herald Tribune, and Sunday Times.^[3]

Career

Kamran Khan joined Dunya News Group on June 3, 2015. He began his career as a young vibrant investigative reporter for Karachi's Daily News newspapers in 1982, Mr. Kamran Khan almost immediately attracted the attention of top international newspapers and by 1985, he was already reporting from Pakistan for a top British newspaper, The Sunday Times, and a top U.S. newspaper, The Washington Post, simultaneously.^[3] However, He had been associated with Jang Group for the last 32 years which he mentioned in his last farewell message as well.^[4] On 27 July 2014, Kamran Khan Joined BOL Media Group as President and Editor-in-Chief.^[4]

In 1998, he became internationally and publicly known for his live coverage of nation's first publicly conducted nuclear tests: Chagai-I. During this time, he conducted several interviews with Pakistani scientists involved in this programme.^[5]

Reporting on Daniel Pearl

In early 2000s, he became publicly known for his coverage and investigative reports on Daniel Pearl, an American Jew who was kidnapped and killed by al-Qaeda operatives.^[3] He was the first journalist to publish his report on ISI intelligence efforts to link India to the kidnapping by raising the possibility that Asra Nomani was in fact a "spy for India", claiming that she was Daniel Pearl's "full-time assistant," identifying her as an "Indian journalist".^[3] According to his report, Nomani was an NRI, having born in India and was raised as a Muslim in the United States since the age of 4.^[3] Nomani was an American Muslim who holds the US passport and also noted that it was Daniel Pearl who brought her to Karachi to work with him.^[3]

He also raised questions about Daniel Pearl's suspicious travel to Karachi from Mumbai, where he was originally based, saying "ISI officials were so intrigued as to why an American newspaper reporter based in Bombay would also establish a full-time residence in Karachi."^[3] Writing an opinion in the story, he wrote that "anyone familiar with the fractured relations between Pakistan and India can understand how this sort of characterization could tarnish Daniel Pearl's reputation in Pakistan and weaken public outrage about his brutal killing, a goal some ISI officials might have wanted".^[6]

The widow of kidnapped and murdered journalist Daniel Pearl, Mariane Pearl, wrote in her memoir A Mighty Heart, and singled out Kamran Khan for first writing the story that identified Daniel Pearl as a Jewish reporter.^[3] Revealing this information was equivalent to a "death sentence" in Pakistan, according to the memoir.^[3] Khan told the Washington Post that he was simply pursuing the story aggressively and didn't mean any harm.^[3][6]

Geo Television

In 2002, Kamran Khan joined the senior staff of the Geo News, a 24-hour news cycle source of the GEO Television. Initially, he worked as cable television's 'military affairs reporter' and at first anchored the Geo News political programme, the Frontline.^[1]

After winning acclaim from the public for anchoring the Frontline, he started anchoring his own show on Geo News, Today with Kamran Khan.^[1] On OBL's death, he prudently criticised Prime Minister Yousaf Gillani's government and, blasted it for incompetence on the capture and killing of Osama Bin Ladan.^[7] Towards the end of his show, he stood on the ground and said: "We had belief that our defenses were impenetrable, but look what has happened. Such a massive intrusion and it went undetected."^[7]

On 23 May 2015, Kamran Khan left BOL Network due to allegations on Axact.^[8]

Dunya Network

According to the Dunya News Press Release, Kamran Khan Joined Dunya Media Group on 3 June 2015 as President and Editor-in-Chief. Kamran Khan stated on his decision to join Dunya for scandal of BOL Media and Axact. He is currently heading Dunya Kamran Khan Kay Sath (Urdu: دنیا کامران خان کے ساتھ‎ lit. World with Kamran Khan) which is a television current affairs talk show on Dunya News. It is one of the most watched and influential current affairs shows on Pakistan’s Dunya News TV channel. His show tries to untangle the twists and turns of Pakistani politics, social and economic issues. The program covers major national, regional and international stories through a combination of high-profile interviews, special reports, commentary and analysis. It is broadcast live from Karachi from 9:30 to 11:00 pm, Monday to Friday.

See also

• List of Pakistani journalists

References

External links

• I will leave this profession if proven guilty of bribery: Kamran Khan, Aaj News, Published 15 June 2012, Retrieved 30 Aug 2016
• Friedman, Uri. Pakistan has cable pundits, too, and boy, are they mad !, The Wire magazine, Published 5 May 2011, Retrieved 30 Aug 2016
• Reaction on Banning of Kamran Khan Show, Published 15 March 2007, Retrieved 30 Aug 2016
• Kamran Khan's interview to PBS Frontline, Retrieved 30 Aug 2016