ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said on Thursday that the name of DAWN’s columnist Cyril Almeida will not be removed from the Exit Control List (ECL).
“There is no chance of removing his [Almeida’s] name from the list before the investigation is complete,” Nisar said, adding that the journalist had booked a flight to Dubai after coming to know that an inquiry has been launched against him.
He added that his name was put in the ECL after the government got the news that he might be leaving the country.
Earlier on Tuesday, sources have informed that PM House while assuring that the name of Dawn staffer Cyril Almeida will be soon taken out of ECL told that the probe was on to find out why he was put in the List. Later PM House denied that any such statement has ever been released.
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had said that there were no restrictions on the movements of Dawn staffer Cyril Almeida. He said that his name has been entered in the ECL because certain matters are to be investigated immediately for which his presence in Pakistan was needed.
Interior Ministry has maintained that the said inquiry will take two to three days.
It should be noted that the columnist came under criticism after writing a report regarding an extraordinary closed-door meeting between top government and intelligence officials where the foreign secretary briefed them on what he saw as Pakistan’s growing international isolation; following this, there was a discussion on the impediments in the way of dealing with the problem of militancy in the country.
DAWN says Govt. should at once remove Almeida’s name from the ECL & salvage some of its dignity.
M. M. ALAM
KARACHI: Sources have informed that PM House while assuring that the name of Dawn staffer Cyril Almeida will be soon taken out of ECL told that the probe was on to find out why he was put in the List. Later PM House denied that any such statement has ever been rleased.
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has said that there were no restrictions on the movements of Dawn staffer Cyril Almeida. He said that his name has been entered in the ECL because certain matters are to be investigated immediately for which his presence in Pakistan was needed.
Interior Ministry has maintained that the said inquiry will take two to three days.
DAWN stands by its story and man: “THERE are times in a news organization’s history that determine its adherence to the highest principles of journalism — its duty to inform the public objectively, accurately and fearlessly.
This paper recently reported an extraordinary closed-door meeting between top government and intelligence officials where the foreign secretary briefed them on what he saw as Pakistan’s growing international isolation; following this, there was a discussion on the impediments in the way of dealing with the problem of militancy in the country.
The fallout of the story has been intense, and on Tuesday evening, the government placed Dawn’s senior writer, Cyril Almeida, on the Exit Control List.
While any media organization can commit an error of judgment and Dawn is no exception, the paper believes it handled the story in a professional manner and carried it only after verification from multiple sources.
Moreover, in accordance with the principles of fair and balanced journalism, for which Dawn is respected not only in Pakistan but also internationally, it twice issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.
Journalism has a long and glorious tradition of keeping its promise to its audience even in the face of enormous pressure brought to bear upon it from the corridors of power. Time has proved this to be the correct stance. Some of the most contentious yet historically significant stories have been told by news organizations while resisting the state’s narrow, self-serving and ever-shifting definition of ‘national interest’.
One could include in this list, among others, the Pentagon Papers detailing US government duplicity in its conduct of the Vietnam War; the Abu Ghraib pictures that exposed torture of prisoners at the hands of US soldiers in Iraq; the WikiLeaks release in 2010 of US State Department diplomatic communications; and Edward Snowden’s disclosure of the National Security Agency’s global surveillance system.
Even more so in Pakistan, where decades of a militarized security environment have undermined the importance of holding the state to account — something that certain sections of the media have become complicit in despite their long, hard-won struggle for freedom — such a furor as generated by the Dawn report was not unexpected.
However, this news organization will continue to defend itself robustly against any allegation of vested interest, false reporting or violation of national security.
As gatekeeper of information that was “verified, cross-checked and fact-checked”, the editor of this paper bears sole responsibility for the story in question. The government should at once remove Mr. Almeida’s name from the ECL and salvage some of its dignity.”
{When somebody gets into the limelight even those who have known them from a distance pose as his closest buddy. So grabbing at the chance, as Cyril Almeida is in the limelight for a couple of days, let me establish a connection with his family!
I have known his brother Norbert Almeida for over two decades. Due to his French he got job in the French Consulate here as an interpreter. Presently he is working as chief security P&G. We met last on 29th of September at the residence of US Consul General.
Cyril Almeida belongs to the Goan community that migrated here before partition and made Karachi their home. He has been going to Goa to attend Goa Arts and Literary Festival for the last three years.}
Dawn Editor says Messenger should not be targeted:
PM Office rejects story published on Oct. 6 yet again
M. M. ALAM
KARACHI:PM Office has once again rejected the story published by DAWN on Thursday October 6. The contradiction was to express concern over the publication of ‘a fabricated news story’ in the said newspaper.
This was third such statement. It came after a meeting of the top civil and military leadership on Monday (October 10). It was maintained that the piece pertained to security issues purportedly discussed in a meeting of National Security Committee held last week.
PM’s rejection note held that the participants felt that Print and Electronic media should refrain itself from speculative reporting and issues of national security and interests of the state.
Editor on behest of Dawn clarified: “First, this newspaper considers it a sacred oath to its readers to pursue its reporting fairly, independently and, above all, accurately. The story that has been rejected by Prime Minister’s Office as a fabrication was verified, cross-checked and fact-checked.
“Second, many at the helm of affairs are aware of the senior officials, and participants of the meeting, who were contacted by the newspaper for collecting information, and more than one source confirmed and verified the details.
“Therefore, the elected government and state institutions should refrain from targeting the messenger and scape-goating the country’s most respected newspaper in a malicious campaign”.
