Nisar-PM meeting reviews Dawn Leaks, Chaman attack: sources

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Saturday met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and discussed with him inquiry report into Dawn Leaks and government notification issued in this regard, sources told Geo News.

Sources said the two figures discussed the inquiry report and the notification issued by the government on recommendations by the inquiry committee formed to probe the leaks. The meeting also discussed orders issued by PM's secretary in this regard.

The cross-border attack by Afghan forces in Chaman also came under discussion at the meeting, they added.

Saturday's meeting between Nisar and the prime minister was the second such meeting in less than 48 hours.

On April 29, the federal cabinet division issued a notification, ordering the withdrawal of the portfolio of Foreign Affairs from the Prime Minister’s Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi.

“In terms of rule 4(6) of the Rules of Business, 1973, the Prime Minister has been pleased to withdraw the portfolio of Foreign Affairs, with immediate effect, from Mr Tariq Fatemi, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister with the status of Minister of State,” the notification read.

The notification was issued because of Fatemi's alleged role in Dawn leaks case.

According to 4(6) of Rules of Business 1973, the Prime Minister has the right to determine his special assistants. “There may be a Special Assistant or Special Assistants to the Prime Minister with such status and functions as may be determined by the Prime Minister,” it reads.

However, the military rejected the government notification on Dawn Leaks saying it was "incomplete and not in line with recommendations by the Inquiry Board."

How did it start?

An 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.

The report stated that the publishing of the story was a failure on part of some government institutions including Information Ministry and Foreign Ministry.