Dawn Leaks: Fatemi rejects allegations in letter to colleagues

ISLAMABAD: In a letter to his colleagues at the Foreign Ministry, Syed Tariq Fatemi has denied all allegations regarding his role in the Dawn Leaks saga, which led to his removal as the Prime Minister's Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs.

"As a fellow member of the Foreign Service family, I reject recent allegations, insinuations and innuendos. Such suggestions are particularly hurtful to someone who has served Pakistan for nearly five decades with honour and integrity," writes the senior diplomat in the letter addressed to all officers of the Foreign Affairs Ministry at headquarters and Pakistan Missions abroad.

"Over the years, I have had to deal with many sensitive matters, becoming privy to some of the most highly classified information, on issues of national security.

"I have also had the honour of working directly under distinguished diplomats, both professional as well as political appointees, all of whom reposed their highest trust in my abilities and particularly so, in my lifelong commitment to discretion. You would appreciate that taking due care and caution becomes a second nature in our professional careers," writes Fatemi in the letter.

Last week, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif approved the recommendations of the Dawn Leaks Inquiry committee, ordering the withdrawal of Fatemi's portfolio and sanctioning Rao Tehseen Ali, the principal information officer at the Information Ministry.

The PM's order said Tehseen Ali would be proceeded against under the E&D rules 1973 on the charges based on the findings of the report.

The PM's order added that 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.”

The PM also ordered that APNS 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".

Also read: PM meets aides to discuss Dawn Leaks inquiry report

But, in a tweet by the DG ISPR shortly after the PM's order, the Pakistan Army rejected the government notification, saying it was "incomplete and not in line with recommendations by the Inquiry Board."

The English-language daily, Dawn, had published the story on October 6, last year, in which journalist Cyril Almeida had written about an alleged civil-military rift during a National Security Committee (NSC) meeting over the issue of tackling jihadi outfits.

The story stirred a major controversy last year, resulting in resignation of Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed and Almeida coming under fire.

An inquiry committee was formed comprising one member each from the ISI, MI and IB, Secretary Establishment, Tahir Shahbaz, Ombudsman Punjab Najam Saeed, and an FIA director.

The inquiry committee in its report had placed blame on Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi and Principal Information Officer at the Press Information Department Rao Tehsin, sources had earlier told Geo News.

Sources said the report termed the publishing of the story a failure on part of some government institutions including Information Ministry and Foreign Ministry.

Interior ministry to issue notification

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said that PM Office does not have the right to issue a notification; only Interior Ministry can issue it. "A non-issue has been turned into an issue," he remarked.

He said, the notification "will be according to the unanimous recommendations of the [Dawn Leaks inquiry] committee."

The Interior Ministry has yet to issue a notification in this regard.