The investigation committee into news leaks has recommended action against the editor and reporter of the national daily for publishing a “planted story” with a possible objective of tarnishing the image and morale of the armed forces.
A source familiar with the details of the report said that the report had been submitted with the prime minister and the report was being examined for further action, if any.
The source said that the committee, led by Justice (retd) Amir Raza Khan, had recommended action against the editor and the concerned reporter of the leading national daily for violating the codes of Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE).
The source said that the report said that the relevant institutions of the state had failed to stop the publishing of the planted story despite the fact that the matter had brought to their knowledge by the concerned reporter.
The report however failed to fix responsibility as to who had leaked the contents of the story to the reporter. The committee has blamed the Ministry of Information and Ministry of Foreign Affairs for failure to prevent the contents of the story from publishing.
The source said that the report also carries the statements of those investigated, their mobile phone data and their photographs taken through CCTV cameras.
The long awaited report had been submitted with the interior ministry on Tuesday after the passage of almost eight months.
According to Interior Ministry, Interior Minister Nisar Khan on Wednesday forwarded the inquiry report to the prime minister. The recommendations of the report have been made unanimously by all members of the committee.
While Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has directed Interior Minister Chaudhary Nisar to take all stakeholders into confidence regarding news leaks report while the premier has received the report of an inquiry committee formed to probe Dawn Leaks on Wednesday.
According to sources interior minister will meet Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa and will privy to COAS pertaining to the contents of the report.
Commenting on the report, Awami Muslim League Chief Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed said Dawn Leaks report has come and government was playing up with the issue in the media.
Talking to media here Wednesday, he said Tariq Fatemi, Pervaiz Rasheed and Rao Tehseen have been held responsible in Dawn Leaks report, however, Rao Tehseen will resort to court against allegation.
He said that all the political parties were united over the matter of resignation of prime minister in Panama Issue, while Imran Khan was also convinced on opposition parties’ alliance on PM’s resignation issue but he did not want election alliance with other political parties.
Opposition Leader Khursheed Shah said that no action will be taken against those who were really involved in news gate scandal and once again a low grade government employee will be made scapegoat.
He went on to say that huge amount of Rs 10 billion which was spent in Islamabad in the name of security could not save Canadian diplomat and he was looted.
He held that the rulers were anti-farmers and they were meting out step-motherly treatment to farming community.
