Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed asked to step down amid Dawn story probe

Information Minister Parvaiz Rasheed has resigned from his position as Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage, DawnNews reported Saturday.

A statement issued by the Prime Minister's office said: "Evidence available so far pints to a lapse on part of the information minister, who has been directed to step down from the office to enable holding of an independent and detailed inquiry.”

The development comes after the publication of Dawn's story "Act against militants or face international isolation, civilians tell military", which reported details of a high level civil-military meeting discussing the issue of Pakistan's banned outfits.

The report of the high-profile security meeting has forced the government to initiate an inquiry to identify the person responsible for its leak.

Sources also said Rasheed's portfolio was taken away after a preliminary inquiry was launched by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. They added that the premier has ordered a formal inquiry as to whether Rasheed was involved in the leak from the meeting.

Speaking to DawnNews, PM spokesperson Musadiq Malik said, " A committee has been formed for the investigation of Dawn's story and investigations have entered the final phase.”

“Pervaiz Rasheed was responsible for the Information Department and he is temporarily suspended from his post until investigations conclude," Malik added.

"The committee was formed because no conclusive evidence has come forth. The details are with the committee Ch Nisar was heading," he said, adding that a press conference will be held by the interior minister tomorrow (Sunday).

"The investigation report will only come when the investigation is over. The investigation is being done with all sobriety, all responsible will be punished."

A statement issued today by the PM House contains details of the inquiry committee: “An inquiry committee including senior officers of ISI, MI and IB is being formed by the government to apportion the blame, identify interests and motives and expose all those responsible for this episode of stern action in the national interest."

The Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said earlier this week that Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Ch Nisar and Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif called on the army chief to brief him on the progress of the investigation and recommendations related to the story. The meeting was also attended by DG ISI General Rizwan Akhtar.

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'Honour killings': Pakistan closes loophole allowing killers to go free

Pakistan's government has closed a loophole allowing those behind so-called honour killings to go free.

New legislation means killers will get a mandatory life sentence.

Previously, killers could be pardoned by a victim's family to avoid a jail term. Now forgiveness will only spare them the death penalty.

It is being seen as a step in the right direction in a country where attacks on women who go against conservative rules on love and marriage are common.

According to the independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), nearly 1,100 women were killed by relatives in Pakistan last year in such killings, while many more cases go unreported.

The loophole allowed the perpetrators of "honour killings" - often a relative acting on the pretext of defending family "honour" - to avoid punishment because they can seek forgiveness for the crime from another family member.

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Pakistan and 'honour killings'

• Qandeel Baloch: 'She was a girl just like you'
• A murder that reflects a divided nation
• Samia Shahid's father dismisses 'honour killing' claim
• Who are the Pakistani group proposing to 'lightly beat' women?
• Pakistan honour killings 'on the rise'
• The 'digital hate' faced by Pakistan's female journalists

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'First step'

In recent months, a number of high-profile deaths have made headlines both in Pakistan and abroad, including the killing of British woman Samia Shahid in July, allegedly by her father and her former husband.

The same month, Pakistani social media celebrity Qandeel Baloch was strangled to death, allegedly killed by her brother in the province of Punjab.

The amended law was debated by Pakistan's National Assembly for four hours on Thursday, before being passed unanimously.

Campaigners have been calling for tougher legislation to protect women from violence for years.

A 2005 amendment to the law pertaining to "honour killings" prevented men who kill female relatives pardoning themselves as an 'heir' of the victim.

Pakistani activist and filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid - who won an Oscar earlier this year for a documentary on "honour killings" - paid tribute to the people who had worked to get the bill through.

"It may not change much over night but it is certainly a step in the right direction," she said in a Facebook post. "And today I am proud that we have gone the distance on this bill."

Others were more cautious, raising concerns over the fact the bill still allows a judge to decide whether a murder qualifies as an 'honour killing' or not.

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Will not let govt function if Nawaz doesn't present himself for accountability

RAIWIND: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan, while addressing the much-hyped public gathering at Raiwind, said PTI will not let the government function after Muharram if Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif fails to present himself for accountability.

Imran was addressing thousands of PTI supporters gathered at Adda Plot in Raiwind.

The PTI chief said the incumbent leaders have lost their conscience and claimed that more than Rs8 billion has been spent for the security of Jati Umra, residence of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

"Nawaz Sharif was caught red handed in the Panama leaks issue, and he is accused of laundering money," claimed Imran.

He questioned NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry for not carrying out proper investigations against Nawaz after the offshore accounts were revealed.

The PTI chief also threatened to shut down Islamabad after Muharram if the prime minister did not present himself for accountability by then.

"Then I will announce the future line of action," he said.

A view of PTI Raiwind March against Panama papers leak. —Online

PTI condemns Indian atrocities in Kashmir

The leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf also strongly condemned the recent atrocities committed by Indian forces in held Kashmir against the innocent and unarmed Kashmiris.

Imran Khan and PTI lawmaker Arif Alvi said that local residents are facing real hardships in India.

The PTI chief said that he believes in peace, not war. "Nations equipped with nuclear weapons should not be thinking of war."

He added that India's intelligence agency [RAW] is responsible for the unstable law and order situation in Karachi.

“Pakistan will continue to support the cause of the Kashmiri people till they get their right of self-determination,” said Arif Alvi.

Senior party leaders including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Abdul Aleem Khan were present at the gathering.

Thousands of PTI supporters from different parts of the country had gathered at Adda Plot on Raiwind Road on Friday to protest against the incumbent government.

A 40-feet-high stage was erected and seating arrangements were made at Adda Plot — close to the prime minister’s Jati Umra residence.

The PTI supporters came in great numbers to participate in the “accountability movement” seen by many as a “do-or-die” act of Imran Khan.

The party had appealed to its workers from all over the province to gather at the Adda Plot in Raiwind. A large number of of female supporters also attended the gathering.

Around 7,000 policemen were deployed for the security of Raiwind march.

The rally was organised by the PTI to put pressure Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family to explain their position over “proof of their corruption” published in the Panama Papers some six months ago.

The PTI urged Nawaz Sharif to present himself for accountability in the Panama leaks scandal.

Earlier in the day, PML-N workers had staged a protest in Peshawar. "Instead of worrying about his political success, Imran Khan should worry about the defence of the country," said a PML-N worker taking part in the protest.

"If he had gone to Wagah border instead of marching to Raiwind, we would have accompanied him," he added.

The protesters said Nawaz Sharif has guided the country onto the path of success. They added that instead of putting hurdles in the way of success, Imran Khan should focus on the problems being faced by people in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

The N-League workers stressed "the country is in need of some serious politics".

Nawaz Sharif was one of the 259 Pakistani citizens who's names appeared on a list linking them to off-shore companies in one of the world’s biggest ever data leaks, earlier this year.

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