Committee formed to investigate Dawn report

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has formed an investigation  committee to probe a planted story, published in ‘Dawn’, an English daily newspaper.

Headed by Justice (retired) Aamer Raza Khan, the committee will include one member each from the ISI, MI and IB.  Secretary Establishment Tahir Shahbaz, Ombudsman Punjab Najam Saeed and Director FIA will also be the members of the investigation committee.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had said on Saturday that the probe of the planted story would not be against former Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid.

Chaudhry Nisar while Speaking to media said the investigation would be made on the leak of the sensitive and false information.

He said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif wanted to find out who the informant was.

The Prime Minister, on October 29, took back the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage from Pervaiz Rashid, weeks after the military's top commanders said a 'false and fabricated' newspaper report breached national security.

Nawaz Sharif directed Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid to step down to enable holding of an independent and detailed inquiry into the episode, according to a statement from the PM's office.

The statement said: "The planted story related to the NSC and NAP meeting published in Daily Dawn on 6th October was a breach of national security. Evidence available so far points to a lapse on part of Information Minister, who has been directed to step down from office to enable holding of an independent and detailed inquiry.

"An inquiry committee including senior officers of ISI, MI and IB is being formed by the Government of Pakistan to clearly apportion blame, identify interests and motives and expose all those responsible for this episode for stern action in the national interest," it added.

The Dawn newspaper had published the story on October 6, in which journalist Cyril Almeida had written about an alleged civil-military rift during the National Security Committee (NSC) meeting over the issue of tackling jihadi outfits.

The story drew an outpour of criticism with the military stating that it was fed to the reporter and demanded investigations into it. It cost Almeida placement of his name on the Exit Control List for less than a week, before the government eventually lifted his travel ban.