‘Media trial’ of defence institutions should end: Ch Nisar

Interior minister says government has legal, constitutional responsibility to defend honour of defence institutions.

The government will find those who attacked senior journalist Hamid Mir at all costs, but the “media trial” of defence institutions has to end, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar said on Friday.

Mir was critically injured in a gun attack on April 19 in Karachi.

Condemning the attack, Nisar, however, said the government has the legal and constitutional responsibility to defend the honour of defence institutions and no one should doubt the government’s stance on this issue.

He also expressed dismay at the way Geo TV had levelled allegations against defence institutions, adding that the network had broadcast the photograph of Director General ISI Lieutenant General Zaheerul Islam as if the allegations had already been proven.

Now that a commission has been established which will present a report to the government and the public in 21 days, the levelling of such allegations should cease, he added.

Nisar said the Sindh government and police were investigating the attack, while the federal government was fully supporting them.

On Mir's claims that police had not helped him despite pointing out the security threats, Nisar said Mir has not filed any complaint with the police during the tenure of the present government.