http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/10/pakistan-cyril-almeida-dawn-exit-control-list-161010204921917.html
Pakistan: Cyril Almeida of Dawn 'on Exit Control List'
Cyril Almeida "informed" he is on Exit Control List, just days after scoop
hinting at civilian-military leadership rift.
Dawn says it 'verified, cross-checked and fact-checked' Almeida's report
[Youtube]
A prominent journalist has been put on Pakistan's Exit Control List after
the respected Dawn newspaper published his scoop that appeared to confirm
long suspected rumours of a rift between the country's civilian and
military leaderships.
The Exit Control List is a system of border control maintained by the
Pakistan government under an ordinance which allows it to bar people whose
names appear on the list from leaving the country.
Cyril Almeida, Dawn's assistant editor, pointed via Twitter on Monday to
his name's appearance on the list.
The Pakistani authorities have yet to comment on the development.
cyril almeida @cyalm
I am told and have been informed and have been shown evidence that I am on
the Exit Control List.
12:47 AM - 11 Oct 2016
In the October 6 exclusive news report, Almeida said some in the civilian
government complained at a top-secret meeting that they were being asked to
do more to crack down on armed groups, yet whenever law-enforcement
agencies took action "the security establishment ... worked behind the
scenes to set the arrested free".
Insisting that the law should apply equally to all, the civilian
government's representatives at the meeting gave warning that Pakistan
risked international isolation if the security establishment did not take
the recommended course of action, according to the Dawn report.
Almeida's story came against a backdrop of heightened tension in the region
following a claim by the Indian government of a cross-border "surgical
strike" by army commandos on September 18, apparently in response to a
deadly assault on an army post in Indian-administered Kashmir.
India blames Pakistan-based armed groups for the attack, a charge rejected
by the Pakistani government led by Nawaz Sharif, the prime minister.
The report said that the arguments made by the foreign secretary and the
Punjab chief minister during the meeting in the prime minister's offices
were designed to trigger a debate with the military leadership.
A spokesman for the Pakistani Prime Minister's Office later disputed
Almeida's account, labelling it "not only speculative but misleading and
factually incorrect" and describing it as an "amalgamation of fiction and
fabrication".
A statement from the Prime Minister's Office said that participants at a
meeting of the top civilian and military leadership on Monday expressed
concern over the publication of what it termed as a "fabricated news story"
pertaining to security issues purportedly discussed in a meeting of the
National Security Committee.
Abbas Nasir @abbasnasir59
Had @cyalm shredded the Constitution; acquired properties abroad via
offshore companies, dodgy wealth he'd be free to travel abroad.
1:49 AM - 11 Oct 2016
The statement said: "The participants were unanimous that the published
story was clearly violative of universally acknowledged principles of
reporting on national security issues and has risked the vital state
interests through inclusion of inaccurate and misleading contents which had
no relevance to actual discussion and facts."
The statement further said the "prime minister took serious notice of the
violation and directed that those responsible should be identified for
stern action".
Late on Monday Zaffar Abbas, Dawn's editor-in-chief, published an editorial
note confirming that Almeida had been placed on the Exit Control List.
India-Pakistan: Media on fire - The Listening Post
Abbas stood by Almeida's report, saying that it was "verified,
cross-checked and fact-checked".
"Dawn would like to clarify and state on the record several things," the
editorial note said.
"First, this newspaper considers it a sacred oath to its readers to pursue
its reporting fairly, independently and, above all, accurately. The story
that has been rejected by Prime Minister’s Office as a fabrication was
verified, cross-checked and fact-checked.
"Second, many at the helm of affairs are aware of the senior officials, and
participants of the meeting, who were contacted by the newspaper for
collecting information, and more than one source confirmed and verified the
details."
The government's decision quickly drew strong reactions from senior
journalists and rights activists on social media.
Follow
shahzeb khanzada
✔@shazbkhanzdaGEO
So banned outfits can roam around freely,do rallies but a journalist has
been put on ECL fr a story.really Prime minister??#StandWithCyril
1:43 AM - 11 Oct 2016
Hundreds of people, including dozens of Pakistani journalists, have
declared that they are supporting Almeida and press freedom by tweeting
under the hashtag, #StandWithCyril.
The action
