Silence over Osama killing dented Pakistan’s image: Mushahid

KARACHI: Pakistan Muslim League-Q leader and Chairman Senate’s Standing Committee on Defence Mushahid Hussain Syed has said that silence of government and the army that broke after 48 hours following the killing of al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in Pakistan damaged country’s image, Geo News reported on Thursday.
Speaking at a seminar at the IDEAS 2012 Exhibition, he said that the army should open its door to provide necessary information to the media.
He was of the view that army’s unwillingness to share information would stir speculations “Media is free and knows well, how to carry out accountability,” he said and added that improving army-media relations was need of the hour. The Senator said informing people about defence issues was also necessary.
Syed announced that the defence committee would soon arrange a workshop in collaboration with the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) to fill the communication gap between the army and the media.