PM Nawaz receives Dawn leaks inquiry report

PM’s spokesman says report is being reviewed and a decision will soon be made on its recommendations.—File Photo

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has received the report of an inquiry committee formed to probe Dawn Leaks, his spokesman confirmed on Wednesday.

According to the PM's spokesperson Musaddik Malik, the report is being reviewed following which a decision will be made on its recommendations. Malik did not confirm whether the prime minister had received the report today or earlier.

When asked when the contents of the report would be made public, he said that a decision regarding this would be taken soon.

The confirmation from the PM House comes after local media reported the recommendations of the inquiry committee, which is said to have placed the blame on Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi and Principal Information Officer at the Press Information Department Rao Tehseen.

According to sources, the report does not ascertain who leaked the story to the Dawn newspaper reporter, but recommends the removal of Tehseen. The sources added that Fatemi's Foreign Affairs portfolio is likely to be changed but that he would retain his position.

Earlier today, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar expressed his concerns over the media reports, calling for a probe into how the inquiry report was leaked before the government had publicly released it.

Related: Dar calls for probe into 'leaking' of Dawn Leaks inquiry report

The story, published in the Dawn newspaper on October 6, 2016 by journalist Cyril Almedia, had stirred a major controversy last year resulting in Almeida coming under fire from the military and government and being temporarily placed on the Exit Control List.

The report regarding a meeting of the National Security Committee alleged the existence of a rift between the military and the civilian government on the issue of tackling jihadi outfits.

Later that month, the Pakistan Army's top commanders expressed serious concern over what they called "feeding of a false and fabricated story of an important security meeting", terming it a breach of national security.

The government called it a 'fabricated' story and termed the "purported deliberations" during the security meeting as speculative, misleading, factually incorrect, and an "amalgamation of fiction and fabrication".

Following a preliminary investigation, the government relieved Senator Pervaiz Rasheed of his responsibilities as federal minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage pending a high-level inquiry.

Subsequently, the government formed a committee headed by Justice (retd) Amir Raza Khan for an inquiry into the issue.

Last week, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said the inquiry report into 'Dawn leaks' would be submitted to his ministry within two or three days.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has said the government would publish the inquiry report, unlike findings of other commissions that have been under wraps in the past.

Earlier this month, DG ISPR Maj-Gen Asif Ghafoor said the army, "like every Pakistani awaits a decision based on justice and merit".