ISLAMABAD: Calling for an end to the ‘media trial’ of national institutions, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Friday said no one should have any doubts about where the government stood with regard to preserving the honour, dignity and prestige of its institutions.

Speaking to reporters at his Parliament House chamber, he said it was the government’s legal and constitutional duty to safeguard the interests of the armed forces as well as security and intelligence agencies.

He said he sympathised with senior journalist Hamid Mir, his family and his organisation, adding that as interior minister it was his responsibility to ensure that the attack on Mir was thoroughly investigated and the perpetrators were brought to justice.

He said Sindh police were leading the probe into the attack on Mir and had the complete cooperation of the federal government. In addition, a three-member commission of Supreme Court judges was examining all aspects of the case and their findings would be “shared with the nation” within three weeks.

“Having said that, any evidence available with the aggrieved parties should have been presented to the police or the judicial commission, so that the investigation could be strengthened,” Nisar said, adding that it was unfortunate that a one-sided media trial still continued.

Nisar said he was taken aback by Mir’s statement which accused Islamabad police of inaction on two complaints. He maintained that police had received no complaints from Mir in his time as interior minister.

When Mir’s spouse and brother were contacted, they said the first instance, which involved a threat to Mir’s children, took place five years ago, while the second referred to the discovery of a bomb under Mir’s vehicle in 2012.

Nisar said the record showed that there was no complaint registered in the first instance; while the second incident was thoroughly probed and Hamid Mir’s driver was also questioned. However, he was released when the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan accepted responsibility for planting the explosives.

He said the government was ready to conduct a fresh inquiry into the incident even though it took place before they came to power.

Nisar maintained that an independent media and the dignity of defence institutions were both necessary for the country. “We should all take a step back, stay cool and try to control the situation. A confrontation will only benefit our enemies,” he said.

Referring to the current standoff between a media group and the military, Nisar said he was ready to play his part for the sake of rapprochement.

Separately, Hamid Mir’s wife issued a statement on her husband’ s behalf, saying that he began to receive threatening phone calls after the previous government left office.

In response to Nisar’s statements, Mir held that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had, in the past, raised this matter on the floor of the National Assembly.

He said that on the advice of PPP leader Khurshid Shah, the speaker had constituted a committee under Ahsan Iqbal – who was a member of the opposition at the time. The committee’s report, Mir said, is available in the National Assembly record.