ISLAMABAD: The military establishment is waiting for the outcome of inquiry against those involved in fabricated news published against the national security, sources told Daily Times on Sunday.
They added that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif assured the military leadership a few days ago that action would be taken against those responsible, but no action has been taken against anyone so far.
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had also met Nawaz Sharif twice in this regard. Sources said the interior minister also wanted action against those who fed the concocted news. Nisar shared outcome with Nawaz as well but the PM is silent due to the country’s current political situation, sources said.
Sources also said that Nawaz is concerned on PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s speeches in which he declared the recently published news against the national security.
A source in the Prime Minister’s Office said that Nawaz was of the view that the army’s role as a constitutional institution is very much clear and Kaptaan should not indulge it in such matters.
On the other hand, sources claimed that the government may take action against one of many behind the news ‘feeding’, adding that in this regard Tariq Fatemi’s name is under discussion in government circles. Fatemi is special assistant to the prime minister on foreign affairs. Sources said Fatemi was in hot water as he enjoyed good relations with Cyril Almeida, the Dawn’s journalist who published the news. Sources said the military leadership has already conveyed their concerns and the corps commanders also issued a statement on the sensitive issue.
The corps commanders had expressed serious concerns over the publication of the story regarding national security.
“Participants (of the meeting) expressed serious concern over feeding of false and fabricated story of an important security meeting at PM House, and viewed it as breach of national security,” said the Inter-Services Public Relations last week.
One of the army’s top intelligence agencies has also shared declassified information with the government. Now the ball is in the prime minister’s court.