Q: Who, in your view, has planted this list of 19 journalists, who are rumoured to have taken monetary or other favours from Malik Riaz, on the internet?

A: I believe it is the social media bullies of PTI who have spread this on the internet.

Q: How has it damaged your reputation and credibility?

A: Of course, it has caused a lot of damage to my credibility – in more ways than you can imagine.

Q: What do you propose to do about it?

A: What can I do about a list with no source; a list that no one has taken responsibility for? Unless I know who is behind this, I can’t do much about it, can I?

Q: Why have journalists on this list gone on the back foot instead of making a noise about it?

A: I have not gone on the back foot about this, at all. I can’t speak for the others but I can speak for myself. I have most certainly spoken up, I have appeared on TV shows and written about it in my columns. If anything, I feel like I’m beginning to bore people with just how much I’m talking about it.

Q: People believe that some of the journalists on this list are on the take. What do you have to say about this?

A: If I thought this, I would write about it. Journalists have to be careful. If we make accusations without facts, how can we be [regarded as] responsible journalists? I am a responsible journalist and I can’t accuse without facts.

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