The Editor of Dawn, Zafar Abbas, is reportedly standing by the news item which has been contradicted thrice by the Prime Minister’s Office.
In a message to his colleagues late on Monday night, the editor was quoted as saying that the news story was cross checked, fact checked and confirmed by senior participants of the meeting.
“First, this newspaper considers it a sacred oath to its readers to pursue its reporting fairly, independently and, above all, accurately. That story that has been rejected by PM office as a fabrication was verified, cross checked and fact checked,” Abbas said in the message.
“Second, many at the helm of affairs are aware of the senior officials and participants of the meeting who were contacted by the newspaper for collecting information and more than one source confirmed and verified the details,” he said, adding, “therefore, the elected government and state institutions should refrain from targeting the messenger and scapegoating the country’s most respected newspaper in a malicious campaign.”
The journalist, Cyril Almeida has been put on the Exit Control List (ECL) after his controversial report.
READ MORE: Pakistani journalist Cyril Almeida’s name put on ECL