ISLAMABAD – Amid backlash over former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s remarks regarding Mumbai attacks, an official notification surfaced on social media directing authorities at Multan airport to give special protocol to a reporter of Dawn newspaper who conducted the what is being termed as an anti-state interview.
Taking notice of the official communiqué, Secretary Aviation has reportedly removed Ehtasham Ali, SO to Advisor to PM on Aviation, for issuing the unauthorised handout on May 11 to the grant security clearance to Almeida.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/headline/nawaz-sharif-invites-public-wrath-for-admitting-pakistans-hand-in-mumbai-attacks/
A notification issued by Aviation Division on May 11 directing official of Multan airport states, “Please allow the following person [Cyril Almedia] into Multan Airport Lounge/ Apron as normal security clearance on 11-05-2018, Flight Special Plane, arrival time 1430 hrs”.
Rejecting impression that the interview with Sharif was planted, the Dawn reporter said that he “was already in Multan in search of a story on south Punjab when learned of Nawaz’s jalsa the next day”.
https://twitter.com/cyalm/status/995951871138426881
Cyril Almeida further said that he was conveyed a plan to meet the former premier at the airport for the interview but he did not go to the airport as the interview was conducted at another place.
Some local reporters in Multan claimed that the interview was conducted at the residence of Punjab Governor Rafique Rajwana.
https://twitter.com/cyalm/status/995970859331407872
Secretary Aviation in a note under the controversial notification circulating on social media wrote, “This unauthorised handout had been brought to my notice, The SO has acted without my knowledge and permission and no doubt, has misused his position. He should be immediately removed from this office and report back to his department”.
In the interview published on May 12, Nawaz Sharif delivered a statement that was spun by the Indian media as a tacit admission of Pakistan’s involvement in the 2008 attacks that left 166 people dead.
Sharif in an exclusive interview with Dawn slammed the slow probe and questioned the authorities who allowed the Mumbai attacks ‘to take place from Pakistan soil’.
“Militant organisations are active. Call them non-state actors, should we allow them to cross the border and kill 150 people in Mumbai? Explain it to me. Why can’t we complete the trial?” Sharif had asked in the interview.
NSC Moot
The country’s top security body on Monday unanimously rejected the allegations and condemned the fallacious assertions stemming out of a recent statement regarding Mumbai attacks, terming it ‘incorrect and misleading’.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/headline/nsc-refutes-statement-about-mumbai-attacks-as-incorrect-and-misleading/
The participants of the high-profile meeting, under the chair of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, observed that it was very unfortunate that the opinion arising out of either misconceptions or grievances was being presented in disregard of concrete facts and realities.
According to a communique released on Monday, the NSC meeting recalled that it was not Pakistan, but India that had delayed the finalisation of the case.
The senior civil-military officials also agreed that India denied access to the principal accused, Ajmal Qasab, and his extraordinarily hurried execution became the core impediment in the finalisation of the trial.
“At the same time Pakistan continues to wait for cooperation from India on the infamous Kulbhushan Jadhav and Samjhota Express episodes,” the statement added.
