Pakistan Today

Ahsan Iqbal likely to replace Pervez Rasheed as information minister

Minister for Planing and Development Ahsan Iqbal is likely to replace Pervez Rasheed as the information minister, according to media reports on Sunday.

A PML-N leader also claimed that Ahsan Iqbal can be given additional charge for the said ministry pending completion of ‘newsgate’ inquiry involving ex-information minister Rashid.

The government on Saturday sent its information minister packing after preliminary investigations established a ‘lapse’ on his part vis-à-vis a ‘planted news story’ about a top level huddle on national security.

READ MORE: Pervez Rashid steps down to enable probe into ‘planted story’

“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 inquiry,” says a statement issued by the prime minister’s office.

“The planted story related to the NSC [National Security Committee] and NAP [National Action Plan] meetings published in daily Dawn on 6th October was a breach of national security,” it adds.

The government will also form an inquiry committee, comprising senior officers of the Inter-Services Intelligence, Military Intelligence and Intelligence Bureau, to “clearly apportion blame, identify interests and motives and expose all those responsible for this episode for stern action in the national interest”.

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