Nawaz Sharif Wants Action Over ‘False’ Story on Pak Army-Govt Rift

It has asked the military-led intelligence agencies to not interfere in proceedings against terror groups.

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. (Photo: The Quint)

Four days after Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper reported that Nawaz Sharif has instructed the military to cooperate with the civilian government, the Prime Minister ordered authorities to take "stern action" against those responsible for the story. The Pakistan Foreign Office had vehemently rejected the report – and termed its as "speculative".

Citing sources, Dawn reported that the civilian government has informed the military leadership of a growing international isolation of Pakistan due to alleged support for militancy.

Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif on Monday called on Sharif at PM House in the presence of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan, CM Punjab Shahbaz Sharif and DG ISI Lieutenant General Rizwan Akhtar.

According to an official statement, matters pertaining to national and regional security and the publication of news story last week in Dawn were discussed.

The participants were unanimous that the published story was clearly violative of universally acknowledged principles of reporting on national security issues. And that it has risked the vital state interests through inclusion of inaccurate and misleading contents, with no relevance to actual discussion and facts.

What the Dawn Report Said

The Dawn story said the military establishment had been issued a stern warning from the civilian government sitting in Islamabad to cooperate with Nawaz Sharif in his efforts to maintain peaceful relationship with India or push the country towards growing international isolation.

It said the military-led intelligence agencies were asked not interfere if law enforcement agencies act against militant groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba, which enjoy the patronage of the Pakistan Army.

The Spokesman of Pakistan Prime Minister's Office had strongly rejected the report.

It is an amalgamation of fiction and half truths... The fact that the report itself states that none of the attributed statements were confirmed by the individuals mentioned in the story, clearly makes it an example of irresponsible reporting.

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(With Inputs from Dawn and PTI)