Govt yet to form committee to probe ‘fabricated story’

Interior minister has met Punjab CM twice in two days in this regard

ISLAMABAD: Even after getting a nod from the prime minister, a committee has not yet been notified to probe the ‘planted news story’ about a top level huddle on national security.

The government also seems to be in a quandary as to who will head the high-profile committee comprising civilians and members of intelligence agencies.



The government refuted the story published in English-language daily Dawn on October 6 as ‘false and fabricated’ not once, but thrice. The repeated denials, however, failed to satisfy the military which called for unmasking those who had planted the story.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar during his last press conference at Punjab House on November 1 had stated that the committee headed by him had taken a major decision regarding the investigation into the story.

He said a committee would be constituted including three members from the intelligence agencies. “The members of the committee would be as such who will enjoy the trust of the nation,” he had maintained categorically.



However, the committee has not yet been notified, sources in the ministry stated.

Previously it was decided that members from ISI, MI and IB would be part of the committee to probe the issue.

Later on the committee, headed by the interior minister, had decided to include three to four other members.

In a major development the interior minister held a second consecutive meeting on Friday with the Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif in 24 hours in Lahore.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 5^th, 2016.