News leak not an ordinary issue: Siraj

LAHORE: JI Ameer Senator Sirajul Haq has said the government has not taken the Newsgate scandal an issue of national security seriously and warned that the matter could not be swept under the carpet.

In a democratic system, the parliament is supreme but in this country, the prime minister is all in all, he said while talking to different delegations at Mansoora on Sunday. He said the issue could not be termed something ordinary. He said national security institutions considered the news leaks a challenge for themselves and burying the issue would be tantamount to compromising the country’s security.

He said the explanations being given by the interior minister gave the impression that it was a matter of no significance but was being agitated unnecessarily. He said had the government been sincere in this respect, it would have taken the parliament and the opposition into confidence and set up an independent commission for enquiry. However, he said, the constitution of a controversial commission had further aggravated the situation. The JI chief said it was expected that an approver would soon appear on the issue and it was to be seen who would pick up the courage in this respect.

He said after allegations of corruption, the PM should have stepped down till his position was cleared. The rulers were trying to save themselves which gave rise to doubts.Referring to the Panama Leaks, he said the rulers were trying in vain to deny the facts.