Did TOI’s plagiarize Pak propaganda material and publishes as its own

This entry into Media Watch pertains to ToI Report Two pro-India parties floated in J&K with Army, MHA help. published today (22/02/11)

This article seems to be a straight lift from Pakistan propaganda websites and its worse considering the fact that ToI had the audacity to publish it as its own news. Please look at the report Proxy groups to be floated in held Kashmir published on 18/02/2011  in the website of The News.

A google search reveals the nature of groups circulating this news.

Media Watch is not surprised as earlier we had caught TOI writing an article on Incest with material lifted from Pakistani websites but one would have hoped they would be more careful using material which directly affects nations security!

Fellow twitterati @pawandurani checked with Omar Abdullah CM of J&K on veracity of the news and this was the reply he got

@iShahnaz @pawandurani strange that TOI now sources it's material on Kashmir from Pak based agencies rather than ask Govt of India.

Thanks @pawandurani  for the lead