ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Following a wide-ranging criticism especially from the media community, the Interior Ministry on Friday issued a notification for removal of renowned journalist Cyril Almeida’s name from the Exit Control List (ECL), who had filed inaccurate and fabricated news item about the national security meeting.
It comes hours after the Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan met officials of All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) and the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) and assured them removal of Cyril Almeida’s name from ECL.
However, the minister maintained that removal of Cyril Almeida’s name would in no way affect the ongoing inquiry into the matter and the inquiry would continue till its logical conclusion.
The renowned journalist and DAWN NEWS’ reporter Cyril Almeida’ name was put on the ECL after his controversial story titled “Act against militants or face international isolation, civilians tell military” was published in the newspaper on October 7.
The story created a rift between the civilian and military leaders as it made some controversial revelations about the high level security meeting held last Monday in Islamabad.
On Thursday, the Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan told media persons that a committee had been constituted to conduct an inquiry into the issue. He said that an attempt had been made to adversely impact a critical national security paradigm, so there should have been an inquiry.
Earlier today, the Corps Commanders also expressed their serious concern over feeding of false and fabricated story of the recent important security meeting and viewed it as “breach of national security”.
