Minister for Planing and Development Ahsan Iqbal is likely to replace Pervez Rasheed as the information minister, according to media reports on Sunday.
A PML-N leader also claimed that Ahsan Iqbal can be given additional charge for the said ministry pending completion of ‘newsgate’ inquiry involving ex-information minister Rashid.
The government on Saturday sent its information minister packing after preliminary investigations established a ‘lapse’ on his part vis-à-vis a ‘planted news story’ about a top level huddle on national security.
READ MORE: Pervez Rashid steps down to enable probe into ‘planted story’
“Evidence available so far points to a lapse on part of the information minister, who has been directed to step down from office to enable holding of an independent and detailed inquiry,” says a statement issued by the prime minister’s office.
The government will also form an inquiry committee, comprising senior officers of the Inter-Services Intelligence, Military Intelligence and Intelligence Bureau, to “clearly apportion blame, identify interests and motives and expose all those responsible for this episode for stern action in the national interest”.
