Dawn Leaks: Former PIO Rao Tehsin to challenge ‘inquiry commission decision’ in court

ISLAMABAD: Former Principal Information Officer at the Information Ministry Rao Tehsin Ali said on Sunday that he will challenge the Dawn Leaks inquiry commission recommendations in court, which said that he “would be proceeded against under the E&D rules 1973 on the charges based on the report findings”.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday approved the recommendations of the committee, which ordered proceedings against Rao Tehsin and withdrew the portfolio of Foreign Affairs from the PM’s Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi.

"The Prime Minister, having considered the findings of the Committee as to its terms of reference, is pleased to approve its recommendations in para 18 of the report," read an order released by the PM Office.

Rao Tehsin told Geo.tv that he was awaiting the inquiry commission report and that his lawyer has asked for the classified copy of the report.

“How could the commission recommend action against me without identifying those responsible for Dawn Leaks,” he asked.

Read Also: Pakistan Army rejects govt notification on Dawn Leaks

The order released by the PM office also said that the role of the editor of Dawn Newspaper, Zaffar Abbas, and reporter Cyril Almeida will be referred to the All Pakistan Newspaper Association (APNS) for necessary disciplinary action to be taken against them.

It added that the APNS will be asked to develop a code of conduct for the media, "especially when dealing with issues relating to security of Pakistan and to ensure that stories on issues of national importance and security are published by abiding to basic journalistic and editorial norms".

But, shortly after the government's announcement, the military's media Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) issued a short statement saying that Army rejects the government notification and that it is "incomplete and not in line with recommendations by the Inquiry Board".

Later in the evening, Establishment Division issued a notification, transferring Principal Information Officer Press Information Department Rao Tehsin and asking him to report to the Division immediately.