Pervaiz Rashid sacked over controversial news

ISI, MI, IB committee to find out other responsible

ISLAMABAD: The government has formed an inquiry committee to probe the planted news story, terming it as a breach of national security besides directing Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid to step down for an independent and detailed inquiry.

“Evidence available so far points to a lapse on part of the information minister who has been directed to step down from office to enable holding of an independent and detailed enquiry,” a Prime Minister Office’s statement said on Saturday.

It said the inquiry committee comprised senior officers of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Military Intelligence (MI) and Intelligence Bureau (IB).

The committee had been tasked to clearly apportion blame, identify interests and motives besides exposing all those responsible for the story published in the daily Dawn on October 6 for stern action in the national interest.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan will hold a news conference today (Sunday) regarding Pervaiz Rashid being removed.

It may be mentioned that daily Dawn had published the story in which journalist Cyril Almeida had written about an alleged civilian and military rift during the National Security Committee (NSC) meeting over the issue of tackling the 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.