THIS refers to the Dawn story inquiry. I get the impression that the original complaint of the army has been missed in the ongoing debate. The so-called ‘leak’ occurred during a period when operation Zarb-i-Azb was going full steam in Karachi, but conspicuous by its absence in Punjab.

The general impression was that in this matter, the army had surrendered to governmental pressure and was deliberately going slow in Punjab.

Dawn leaks, which, even according to Cyril Almeida’s original report, was “orchestrated”, sought, not merely to dispel that impression, but shift the blame for the military’s inaction in Punjab, back to the military and ISI; and that by subterfuge. That too, by a number of obviously influential individuals who wished to enjoy anonymity under privileges accorded to a reporter’s ‘source’.

If the report was based on fact and the military was guilty of ‘protecting its assets’ in Punjab, the governmental rebuke was well deserved, but should have been publicly made and owned.

If it was a falsehood, it was an ugly and reprehensible act. The manner in which it was “orchestrated”, clearly indicated it was likely a falsehood. That was the cause for the army’s desire to set the record straight.

Shaukat Qadir

Islamabad

Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2017