English daily asked not to publish Nawaz’s interview
ISLAMABAD- While the Information Ministry has asked a Lahore-based English contemporary not to publish interview of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who is in Saudi Arabia, the government may also consider taking up the matter with the Saudi government.
This was indicated by Information and Broadcasting Minister Shaikh Rashid Ahmed when a query was put to him how the government viewed the publication of an interview by e-mail by the newspaper because politicking by the former prime minister was forbidden.
When contacted on the issue, the Foreign Office refused to make any comments except that to talk to the information and broadcasting minister.
On June 25, 2003, when the interview was published and the query was posed to him, the minister said: “I will respond after making inquiry (from concerned quarters).”
On June 26, 2003 after the Cabinet briefing when this correspondent accosted him on the issue, the minister said the daily’s people were in the ministry earlier in the day and they were told not to publish such things.
To a question if the ministry called them, Shaikh Rashid replied in the negative. Asked if the government would take up the matter with the Saudi government, he said the government might consider doing so.
Source: Business Recorder,
Date:6/27/2003
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