Pakistan PM Khan criticises India’s Modi after reports that 2019 air strike was for election boost

Indian media reported that TV anchor Arnab Goswami knew in advance about the air strike, and said it was to boost Narendra Modi’s campaign

Imran Khan said this revealed ‘the unholy nexus’ between the BJP and Indian media, and a ‘dangerous military adventurism’ that could destabilise region

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Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan reacted angrily to Indian media reports of a text exchange between a TV anchor and a former media industry executive about an air strike inside Pakistan. Photo: AP

Published: 12:57pm, 19 Jan 2021Updated: 12:57pm, 19 Jan 2021

Pakistan’s prime minister reacted angrily on Monday to media reports of a text exchange between an Indian TV anchor and a former media industry executive that suggested a 2019 Indian air strike inside Pakistan was designed to boost Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s chances for re-election.

Imran Khan took to Twitter to respond to Indian media reports of a WhatsApp exchange between popular Indian TV anchor Arnab Goswami and Partho Dasgupta, the former head of a TV rating company.

The purported text exchange three days before the air strike indicated Goswami had prior knowledge of the attack and that it was designed to drum up support for Modi in his re-election bid in pending parliamentary elections.

Goswami, a firebrand anchor who is Indian Republic TV’s co-owner and editor in chief, is known for supporting Modi and his nationalist policies.

According to the WhatsApp chat transcript, Goswami texted Dasgupta before the February 26, 2019 air strike, saying “something big will happen” and “On Pakistan the government is confident of striking in a way that people will be elated”.