Authors of Intercept cipher story deny NYT correspondent's allegations on PTI involvement

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published August 10, 2023

ISLAMABAD—Murtaza Hussain, one of the authors of The Intercept story on the diplomatic cipher, has denied the claim of The New York Times correspondent in Pakistan that the cipher was given to them by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Reacting to the story, Salman Masood, the correspondent for The New York Times in Pakistan and the editor of The Nation, claimed, "Taking things up a notch, PTI likely to be behind the leak of the controversial cable." He added that "Still, the contents don't prove a conspiracy but strained relations—and that was already known."

However, Hussain reacted sharply to the claim. He termed Masood's claim as false. "The @nytimes Pakistan correspondent is making a false claim suggesting that Imran Khan or members of his party were the source of our leak. I can confirm this is not true; if you have evidence to the contrary you are welcome to share it now, otherwise issue a retraction."

The Intercept story—"SECRET PAKISTAN CABLE DOCUMENTS U.S. PRESSURE TO REMOVE IMRAN KHAN"—has made public the text of the diplomatic cipher about the meeting between then Pakistani envoy to US Asad Majeed Khan and Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu on 7 March 2022.

Former Prime Minister Imran alleged that the US was behind his government's change, which was removed through a no-trust in the National Assembly.

Ray Grim, the story's co-author, also denied Masood's claim. He asked the NYT correspondent to withdraw his claim. "I can say with 100% confidence that this claim from the New York Times is completely untrue. Khan was not our source. Neither was any other civilian. Our source was in the Pakistan military. If the Times has evidence to the contrary, publish it. Otherwise retract this."

Sindhi journalist AD Shar brutally murdered, PFUJ declares three-day mourning

 April 11, 2025:  Sindhi journalist AD Shar was brutally murdered in Khairpur, Sindh. His body was found dumped on Handiyari Link Road. PFUJ has declared a three-day mourning period and demanded justice.

AJK government registers case against newspaper and staff

 April 10, 2025:  The Azad Jammu and Kashmir government has filed a case against The Daily Jammu & Kashmir and its staff for alleged fake news, drawing condemnation from PFUJ and IFJ, who demand immediate withdrawal of the FIR and an end to media repression in Pakistan.

Journalist Arzoo Kazmi alleges FIA threats, possible arrest over reporting

 April 08, 2025:  Journalist Arzoo Kazmi alleges that Pakistan's state agencies, including the FIA, have blocked her CNIC, passport, and bank account while threatening her. She calls it a direct attack on journalism.

Noorani’s missing brothers: Court orders IG to produce individuals

 April 07, 2025:  The Islamabad High Court has directed IG Islamabad to produce journalist Ahmad Noorani’s missing brothers, as the Ministry of Defence denies custody. SIM activity was traced in Bahawalpur, and investigations into their suspected abduction continue.

Journalist Farhan Mallick granted bail

 April 07, 2025:  Journalist and Raftar founder Farhan Mallick has been granted bail by a Karachi court in a case concerning anti-state content aired on his YouTube channel. He still faces separate charges related to an alleged illegal call center and data theft.

Ghulam Abbas Shah joins Discover Pakistan as Head of Programming

 April 03, 2025:  Veteran journalist Ghulam Abbas Shah has joined Discover Pakistan Television as the Head of Programming. With 25 years of experience in leading news organizations, he looks forward to contributing to quality storytelling and content.

PFUJ condemns Pakistani journalists' visit to Israel as an ethical violation

 April 02, 2025:  The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has strongly condemned the visit of a group of Pakistani journalists to Israel, calling it a violation of journalistic ethics and a betrayal of press freedom and human rights. PFUJ demands a transparent investigation into the matter.

Can films fight terrorism? Dawn raises doubts

 March 30, 2025:  Dawn criticizes Pakistan’s plan to use TV dramas against extremism, highlighting financial and digital challenges. Can media alone solve deep-rooted issues?