The Online International News Network, a Pakistani news portal, said in a statement at the weekend that it fired online editor, Siddique Sajid, for fabricating a story based on purported U.S. diplomatic cables which showed India meddling in Pakistani affairs.
“The Online management regrets the release of the said story by Online, its subsequent publication by media and the consequent erosion of their public credibility,” Online said in a statement.
On Friday, Mr. Sajid had attempted to defend himself by saying he had simply lifted the “WikiLeaks” from The Daily Mail, another Pakistan newspaper.
Adding to the confusion, The Daily Mail, a vehemently anti-Indian news Website, appeared to stand by its report in a confusing statement posted last week.
“The Daily Mail takes immense pride and pleasure in leaking the actual American mindset about India,” said the paper in a statement it titled “Hats Off to the Nation.”
The incident is likely to further deepen suspicion in India over the role of Pakistan’s media in pushing conspiracy theories about India’s meddling in Pakistani affairs.
The Indian Express has this item today about The Daily Mail, which it says is “thought to be funded by the ISI,” Pakistan’s military spy agency.
The fake WikiLeaks reports were made-up diplomatic cables from the U.S. embassy in New Delhi.
One cable spoke of India’s role in fomenting insurgencies in Pakistan’s tribal regions and Baluchistan province. Another talked of rifts in India’s top army command and another of “Bosnia-like genocide” by the Indian army in Jammu and Kashmir state.
After appearing on Online, the documents were reported by leading Pakistani newspapers on Thursday.
The Express tribune and The News published front-page apologies Friday once it emerged the documents were fake. The News, an English-language daily which is part of the Jang Group of newspapers, apologized for printing an “unverified news item.”
It blamed Online, to which it subscribes, saying the publication of the news hurt its credibility.
The question remains why Pakistani newspapers are printing such stories without checking their veracity.
The error came to light when Britain’s Guardian newspaper reported it was unable to find reference on the whistle-blowing website to the WikiLeak documents reported in Pakistan.
India’s newspapers, meanwhile, are feeling rather smug after a month that raised lots of doubts about Indian journalism as well.
