A prominent Pakistani journalist has been barred from leaving the country after he reported a rift between the civilian and military leaderships over the powerful ISI shielding terror groups like the Haqqani network and leT that led to Pakistan’s international isolation.
Cyril Almeida, a columnist and reporter for the Dawn newspaper, tweeted he has been told that he has been put on ‘Exit Control list’ — a system of border control maintained by Pakistan government which allows it to bar people whose names appear on the list from leaving the country.
“I am told and have been informed and have been shown evidence that I am on the Exit Control list,” Almeida tweeted.
“Puzzled, saddened. Had no intention of going anywhere; this is my home. Pakistan. I feel sad tonight. This is my life, my country. What went wrong,” he said.
The government has not officially commented on the ban, but Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif yesterday asked authorities to take “stern action” against people responsible for publishing the “fabricated” story.
Meanwhile, the widely read daily - also the country’s oldest - today stood by the story issued on October 6, saying it was “verified, cross-checked and fact-checked”.
The story, carried by the paper on its front page, had said that facing international isolation, Sharif in an unprecedented move has warned the powerful military not to shield banned militant groups and directed authorities to conclude the Pathankot terror attack probe and the 2008 Mumbai attack trial.
It mentioned a rift between Pakistan’s civilian and military leaderships over jihadi groups operating from Pakistan that engage in war against India and Afghanistan like the Haqqani network and the lashkar-e-Taiba (leT), blamed for the Mumbai attack.