Rauf Klasra sent packing

Rauf Klasra of the Express Tribune has reportedly been sacked following complications over a story on the in-camera briefing to the joint session of the Parliament by the military. According to journalismpakistan Klasra, reporting on the story had said that Director General of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Lt. Gen Ahmad Shuja Pasha did not take leader of the opposition Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan’s tirade lying down.
In his story headlined ‘ISI chief shot back at ‘favour-seeking’ Nisar,’ Klasra wrote in the May 15 edition of the paper: “Nisar is said to have risen out of his seat for his speech right as the question and answer session was to begin. But a “visibly angry” Pasha snubbed Nisar in front of a full house.” “Pasha claimed that he ‘knew’ why he was being targeted by the leader of the opposition of late, alleging that Nisar had asked him for a personal favour, which he, as DG ISI, refused to extend.
“Since then, said Pasha, Nisar had launched a number of tirades against him in particular and the military in general. However, Pasha said he would not reveal what the favour was on the floor of the august house – but would if asked outside.” “An embarrassed Chaudhry Nisar was said to have been taken aback as Pasha continued with his counter attack.”
Klasra’s newspaper had run a clarification from the office of the Leader of the Opposition the following day (May 16).
The clarification read: “The office of the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly of Pakistan, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has contradicted the published report…that DG ISI during the course of his briefing to joint session of the Parliament has said that Nisar Ali Khan had asked him a favour which he could not fulfill.”
“It is said that neither has the Leader of the Opposition ever asked for any kind of favour from the DG ISI nor did the latter make any such statement before the House.”