Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Opposition leader in National Assembly Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah has said that the Prime Minister House is completely involved in the Dawn Leaks issue, saying that as long as real culprits are not punished, Dawn Leaks issue will remain unresolved.

Khursheed Shah was expressing these views while talking to media outside the Parliament House in Islamabad on Wednesday.

He said that the decision of government on the Dawn Leaks is one-sided decision and the report of inquiry commission in this regard should not be considered so easy, saying that the government should take into confidence 200 million people and there should be no politics on the issue.

Khursheed Shah said that Pakistan People’s Party is not standing with the tweets, saying that we are talking about the institutions.

He said that institutions do not have the right to play the national security, saying that Dawn Leaks was big challenge for the sovereignty of the country.

Khursheed Shah asked the Prime Minister to immediately call a session of the parliament and take the nation into confidence.

He said that things are being twisted on the issue of Panama leaks while Pakistan People’s Party does not accept the Joint Investigations Team (JIT) formed for investigations of the Panama case because the JIT will question Prime Minister in a closed room.

He said that the government should tell about the diplomatic agenda as to what the situation with the neighbouring countries it has and what the government is doing and government should tell about that in the parliament.

It is pertinent to mention here that Khursheed Shah’s remarks came shortly after the Ministry of Interior released recommendations of the Dawn Leaks Inquiry Committee approved by Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.

According to a press release of the ministry, the committee suggested that there was a need to develop a Code of Conduct for the Print Media especially when dealing with issues related to the security of Pakistan.

The committee recommended that the role of daily Dawn/Zafar Abbas/Cyril Almeida, in the instant case, may be referred to All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) with a direction to take disciplinary action against Daily Dawn/Zafar Abbas/Cyril Almeida, besides developing a Code of Conduct for publishing stories on issues of national importance and security by abiding to the basic journalistic and editorial norms.

“Due to reasons referred to previous sections, the action already taken by the Federal Government against Senator Pervaiz Rashid is endorsed,” said the press release.

The committee unanimously agreed that Rao Tehsin Ali had not displayed the required level of professionalism and has shown carelessness while dealing with the issue that the committee recommends that, he being a civil servant may be proceeded against under the Efficiency and Discipline Rules 1973.

Due to reasons referred in previous sections, the Committee recommended removal of Tariq Fatemi from his current portfolio.

“Since action on orders of the Prime Minister has already been completed by the respective Ministries and Divisions, the issue of Dawn Leads stands settled,” it added.

Earlier, Pakistan Army has withdrawn its April 29 tweet saying the tweet was not directed against any institution or individual. According to a statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Pakistan Army supports democratic process in the country.