Pakistan fires minister for leaking news about army rift

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has fired a Cabinet minister over a leaked story about a rift between the country’s civil and military leadership in tackling militancy.

A statement issued by Sharif’s office Saturday said a committee comprising officials from military and civil spy agencies is being formed for a further probe.

It said the Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid was asked to step down after initial evidence indicated he had shared information with a journalist. It said Rashid was fired to ensure an independent and detailed probe about the Oct. 6 publication of the story.

The report referred to a discussion at a high-profile security meeting that suggested Pakistan’s civil and military leaders were not on same page in tackling militancy and terrorism.