ISLAMABAD: The government has imposed a travel ban on a journalist after he allegedly sparked uproar by reporting that civilian officials had clashed with the military over issue of national security. Cyril Almeida, an assistant editor at Dawn, announced early Tuesday he had been placed on the Exit Control List. “I am told and have been informed and have been shown evidence that I am on the Exit Control List,” he tweeted, followed a short time later by “I feel sad tonight. This is my life, my country. What went wrong”? Citing sources present at a high-level meeting, Almeida said the civilian government had issued a blunt warning to the military as part of a new high-stakes strategy. Meanwhile, human rights activists have urged the government to lift the travel ban and other restrictions on Almeida and respect freedom of expression. “Barring Cyril Almeida from travelling abroad and the apparent pressure on his employers will cause distress to all those, at home and abroad, who believe in the freedom of expression and the rights of journalists,” said the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan in a statement. The travel ban divided opinions on social media, with some arguing that the article endangered national security and others upholding the freedom of press.
