A prominent Pakistani journalist says he has been barred from leaving the country after reporting on a disagreement between the country's civilian and military leaders.
Cyril Almeida of the English-language Dawn newspaper reported on a meeting at which Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ordered Pakistan's ISI spy agency to crackdown on local militant groups fighting against neighbouring India.
In the past, the country's army-run spy agency has been accused of backing jihadist groups like the Afghan Taliban, Haqqani network and Lashkar-e-Toiba to fight a proxy war against India.
Almeida's article caused a major controversy when it was published last Thursday, at a sensitive time for relations between Islamabad and Delhi.
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India has blamed a deadly attack on an Indian army base in the disputed region of Kashmir last month on groups operating from Pakistan with the backing of the military.
Almeida says he has been stopped from leaving the country on a planned family holiday.
"I am told and have been informed and have been shown evidence that I am on the Exit Control List," he said via Twitter.
"Puzzled, saddened. Had no intention of going anywhere; this is my home. Pakistan."
Sharif's office on Monday rejected Almeida's story as fabricated and said it had "undermined the vital national interest" and that those behind it would face action.
The Dawn on Tuesday said it stood by its report.
The controversy also comes as Sharif prepares to pick a replacement for the popular Army Chief Raheel Sharif, not related to him, next month, something that is seen as a delicate task.
