ISLAMABAD: The former principal information officer (PIO), Rao Tehsin Ali Khan, has filed a petition before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking a copy of the inquiry report on the controversy involving a Dawn news report Mr Khan filed the petition through his counsel, Barrister Wasim Sajjad.

He requested the court to direct the federal government to provide him a copy of the inquiry report to enable him to understand the nature of accusations levelled against him and to provide him an opportunity to avail himself of legal remedies.

He contended that very harsh action had been taken against him and that resulted in his public humiliation and removal from the office of the PIO, though he neither attended the meeting at the prime minister`s house nor was he conveyed the outcome of the meeting.The petition cited the secretaries of the ministries of information and interior and the secretary to the prime minister as respondents in the petition.

The petitioner said that on Oct 6, 2016, a news report was published in Dawn under the headline: `Act against militants or face international isolation, civillans tell military`. This report was about a high-level meeting held at the prime minister`s house and it was attended by the highest civilian and military officials.

As the report dealt with a sensitive issue an inquiry was conducted to fix the responsibility as to who had leaked the information to media.

An inquiry committee, headed by retired Justice Amir Raza, called the petitioner and asked him about his role in the matter. Before the committee, the petitioner completely denied any role in it and said that he neither attended the meeting nor was he informed about the outcome of the meeting.