Govt denies Abbottabad report went missing

Published July 14, 2013
“The report has neither disappeared nor got leaked from PM office,” said Information Minister Pervez Rashid. – File Photo by Online
“The report has neither disappeared nor got leaked from PM office,” said Information Minister Pervez Rashid. – File Photo by Online

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervez Rashid on Saturday night categorically denied media reports that Abbottabad Commission’s report had gone missing from the prime minister's office.

The original report is in safe possession of the government and no unauthorised person can have access to the document, he told APP.

“The report has neither disappeared nor got leaked from PM office,” the minister clarified. He said media reports and comments are based on unauthentic, incomplete and distorted version of the report.

The leaked version of report, uploaded by the Qatar-based media organisation Al-Jazeera, had blamed all government and military institutions of collective failure for their inability to track down Osama Bin Laden while he was living in the country, and for not being able to detect or prevent the unauthorised operation against the Al Qaeda chief by the US Navy SEAL’s deep inside the Pakistani territory.

Replying to a question on the possibility of official release of the report, the minister said former prime minister had set up a committee on Feb 1, headed by the then minister for law with foreign and defence ministers as members to decide about complete or partial release of the report.

The committee was also mandated to decide whether the report should be made public at all. However, the government's tenure concluded on March 16 and the findings of the committee could not be finalised by that time.

Rashid said the present government is looking into the matter and shall make a decision about release of the report in the national interest.

He urged the media not to jump to conclusions and wait for release of the authentic version of the report to make any analysis or judgment.

Opinion

Editorial

Weathering the storm
Updated 29 Apr, 2024

Weathering the storm

Let 2024 be the year when we all proactively ensure that our communities are safeguarded and that the future is secure against the inevitable next storm.
Afghan repatriation
29 Apr, 2024

Afghan repatriation

COMPARED to the roughshod manner in which the caretaker set-up dealt with the issue, the elected government seems a...
Trying harder
29 Apr, 2024

Trying harder

IT is a relief that Pakistan managed to salvage some pride. Pakistan had taken the lead, then fell behind before...
Return to the helm
Updated 28 Apr, 2024

Return to the helm

With Nawaz Sharif as PML-N president, will we see more grievances being aired?
Unvaxxed & vulnerable
Updated 28 Apr, 2024

Unvaxxed & vulnerable

Even deadly mosquito-borne illnesses like dengue and malaria have vaccines, but they are virtually unheard of in Pakistan.
Gaza’s hell
Updated 28 Apr, 2024

Gaza’s hell

Perhaps Western ‘statesmen’ may moderate their policies if a significant percentage of voters punish them at the ballot box.