Pak Interior Minister never criticized Dawn over news story : Spokesperson

Islamabad [Pakistan], Nov. 13 (ANI): Pakistan Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan's spokesperson has said that at no point during his press conference did the former criticize Dawn for the news story. With reference to some news items appearing in a section of press, the Interior Ministry clarified that the committee probing the fabricated news story had asked Chaudhry Nisar - during his briefing to the said committee - that the editor and staffer of the English daily Dawn be requested to appear before it for recording their statements, reports the Express Tribune. The spokesperson said that the Interior Minister's statement on the false story probe was exactly in line with the government's stance, adding that the ministry requests a section of the media to refrain from giving their own interpretations to Nisar's words. "Kite-flying and assumptive analysis on this issue of national importance would negatively impact the ongoing probe," said the spokesperson. The spokesman said that ethics of international journalism and reporting should be followed in letter and spirit by all media houses and watchdogs until the completion of the inquiry into the matter. A story by journalist Cyril Almeida published in The Dawn on October 6 came under fire as it reported an alleged rift between the country's powerful military and the government for its failure to act against non-state actors. The government repeatedly rebutted the story as 'false and fabricated' while the military leadership went on to call it a 'breach of national security'. The federal government has formed a seven-member inquiry committee to probe the matter. (ANI)