NEW DELHI: Pakistan 's leading newspaper 'Dawn' said in an editorial today that "elements within or sections of the state" are inciting violence against its staff and targeting it with "a campaign of disinformation, libel and slander, (and) hate".

The reason for that, Dawn believes, is that two articles in recent times - both of which indicate that state elements in Pakistan support terror - have annoyed the powers-that-be.

The editorial further said that in a country that has seen absolute army rule three times via coups, a free press that supports the supremacy of a constitutional civilian government is one of the biggest casualties. And at a time when Pakistan is set to hold an unprecedented third consecutive general election, media being a target of elements within the state is a "disturbing reality".

"Since late 2016, though with renewed and greater intensity since May 2018, the paper has been under attack in a wide-ranging and seemingly coordinated manner that includes its distribution being stopped in several areas," said the editorial.

All of Pakistan should be concerned by this, said Dawn's editorial.

"The seemingly retaliatory measures taken against Dawn in recent weeks have been deeply alarming and should concern all free-thinking and democratic citizens of the country...It appears that elements within or sections of the state do not believe they have a duty to uphold the Constitution and the freedoms it guarantees," stated the editorial.

The first of the two likely offending articles Dawn refers to was published in October 2016, and it said that in a secret meeting the civilian government took the powerful army to task for not acting against terrorists. Dawn outright said there was a ''state-led backlash'' to this piece.

According to Dawn, the second article that has displeased the powers-that-be, is "a fully on-the-record interview with former prime minister Nawaz Sharif last month". The bit in the interview that may have invited state elements' ire is when Sharif seemed to be openly acknowledging that Pakistani terrorists carried out the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai.

"While it has faced many strong challenges in the past, and will continue to do so with fortitude today, a campaign of disinformation, libel and slander, hate and virtual incitement to violence against Dawn and its staff has necessitated placing certain matters on the record," said the newspaper explaining why it has written an editorial on the issue.

