ISLAMABAD: A fake email sent the Pakistani prime minister’s media office into a spin, prompting one official to wonder why the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) was using a private gmail id.
“It contained no text, just the title ‘Prime Minister’s Message on Defence Day’,” Shafqat Jalil, PMO spokesperson, told Dawn about the email message.
“We detected the fake email and immediately informed the media as per the standard operating procedure that Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has not issued any message relating to Defence Day,” he said.
Pakistan observes Defence Day on September 6.
The sender created a fake identity, [email protected], by adding ‘r’ to the official email address. PMO issued a press release to warn the media organisations about it.
“You are requested to ignore the Prime Minister’ message on Defence Day circulated on the fake ID [email protected].
“It has not been issued by this office,” said the press release.An official wondered: “Why the PM’s office is using email accounts on the private web gmail.” (Agencies)