Dawn Security Leaks: ‘I want to relieve the government from the moral burden’ – Pervaiz Rashid

By Raza Ruman

(Pak Destiny) Information Minister Parvaiz Rasheed does not further probe into the matter of ‘planted story of Dawn’ and the chapter should be closed here. How interesting isn’t it.

Rasheed in his resignation letter asked the prime minister said: “I want to relieve the government from the moral burden that it is being wrongly implicated. In the best interests of the country and democracy, I submit my resignation from being the Minister for Information and Broadcasting. I hope this must bring an end to wild speculations and hope best for your success in steering the country out the quagmire that it faces.”
Pervaiz Rashid now wants to see no speculation over the issue but Interior Minister Ch Nisar says new committee has been constituted to probe the Dawn story that damaged military image in the world.
It will be interesting to see if Rashid faces further probe and may be implicated in thee case.

Pervaiz Rashid Resignation Letter

The Prime Minister,
Islamic Republic of Pakistan,
Islamabad.
Subject: Resignation from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting

Dear Mian Nawaz Sharif sahib,
I have been working under your dynamic leadership for the strengthening of democratic institutions. I tried my best to be of some help to you for the implementation of your agenda for economic development and peace and cooperation in the region.

I have been watching the political situation of the country with great concern for democratic transition. Given the unwarranted controversy over a false news story and despite having no connection with it, I feel perturbed over the accusations being levelled against myself and the government about the alleged “Leakage/planting” of the baseless and fabricated story.
I fully understand and have always observed the imperative of confidentiality of proceedings on various national issues, national security in particular. Before seeing me the journalist from Dawn had the story with him from his sources, other than me. I had told him that story is speculative and did not in any way provide any credence to his conjectures on which he had built his story.
Since my name is being allegedly associated with the story that I solemnly deny, I want to relieve the government from the moral burden that it is being wrongly implicated. In the best interests of the country and democracy, I submit my resignation from being the Minister for Information and Broadcasting. I hope this must bring an end to wild speculations and hope best for your success in steering the country out the quagmire that it faces. My best regards.
Pervaiz Rashied,
Minister for formation

A statement issued by the Prime Minister’s office said: “Evidence available so far points to a lapse on part of the information minister, who has been directed to step down from the office to enable holding of an independent and detailed inquiry.”
The development comes after the publication of Dawn’s story “Act against militants or face international isolation, civilians tell military”, which reported details of a high level civil-military meeting discussing the issue of Pakistan’s banned outfits.
The report of the high-profile security meeting has forced the government to initiate an inquiry to identify the person responsible for its leak.
The Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said earlier this week that Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Ch Nisar and Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif called on the army chief to brief him on the progress of the investigation and recommendations related to the story. The meeting was also attended by DG ISI General Rizwan Akhtar. – Pak Destiny