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Rawalpindi: Responding to a question during an interview with a foreign news agency about a series of unsubstantiated news reports published by the New York Times, DG ISPR and Military Spokesman Major General Athar Abbas rejected the allegations levelled against the Army and ISI, and described them as baseless and mischievous. Major General Athar Abbas said in recent weeks the New York Times has continued to publish wild claims presented as news stories on the basis on information supposedly provided by unnamed US officials. He said in most cases such news reports have quoted anonymous US sources, bringing the veracity of their reporting into question.
Recalling NYT’s apology of March 2004 about some of its coverage of the Iraq war, General Abbas said at that time the newspaper had this to say: ‘In some cases, information that was controversial then, and seems questionable now, was insufficiently qualified or allowed to stand unchallenged. Looking back, we wish we had been more aggressive in re-examining the claims as new evidence emerged-or failed to emerge’.
The Military Spokesman further said: “if the newspaper continues with its vilifying campaign without any concrete evidence, I am afraid at some point it may end up expressing its deep regret the way it did in the case of its Iraq coverage.
For more information, contact:
Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR)
Hilal Road, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Tel: +9251 927 1605
Fax: +9251 927 1601
Email: ispr@ispr.gov.pk