SC freezes Information Ministry’s ‘secret funds’

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The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered to freeze the Information Ministry’s secret funds until September 12.
A two-member bench, comprising Justice Jawad S Khawaja and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, passed the orders while hearing a petition filed by journalists Hamid Mir and Absar Alam here at the SC’s Quetta Registry. The petitioners had requested the court to form a Media Accountability Commission.
During the hearing, Justice Khilji asked if there was any established mechanism to provide advertisements to the media. Petitioner Hamid Mir said that the people holding power centers knew about the secret fund and its utilization. He added that back in 2002, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) had too accused the then government of misusing the said fund. He further said that allocations for this fund were also part of the national budget. Justice Jawad S Khawja asked what the Information Ministry’s job was. On which, Absar Alam said the ministry did nothing more than pressurizing the media. The court adjourned the hearing until September 12 with orders to freeze the ministry’s secret fund until the next hearing. Meanwhile, a spokesman of the Information Ministry dismissed reports appearing in a section of the media, alleging the existence of a Rs 4 billion “secret fund” at the disposal of the ministry. The spokesman said “some vested interests” were trying to mislead the public by depicting the whole budget of the ministry as secret fund.
“In fact, the total budget allocated to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in the financial year 2012-13 is Rs 5.57 billion, which funds a number of departments and allowances and covers other expenditure,” the spokesman said.
“These departments include Information and Broadcasting Division, Directorate of Publications, Newsreels and Documentaries, Press Information Department, Information Services Abroad and other expenditure of Information and Broadcasting Division, which includes grants of press clubs, news agencies, Press Council of Pakistan, Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation, Institute of Regional Studies, Cultural Services and Planning and Monitoring Cell,” the spokesman said. He said that the budget allocated to the ministry was approved by the National Assembly as part of the Finance Bill. “It is published in the budget books as well. Hence, misconstruing it as secret is misleading and unfair,” the spokesman added.

2 COMMENTS

  1. The whole of Pakistan salutes the Supreme Court at this action. Next important step to be taken in this regard by Pakistan Supreme Court is to review the LAME & DISABLED CONSTITUTION full of loopholes supporting CORRUPTION, CRIME & CRIMINAL & straighten it. If Pakistan Supreme Court performs this task to the level that obtaining justice becomes easy for each individual the group of devils trying to rule Pakistan will immediately run away & Pakistan will be on the road to development & prosperity automatically.

  2. As the election season arrives, propaganda campaigns are kicked of against the PPP government. It is the history of PML-N to deliver packets full of currency notes and enhance the yellow journalism. There are several anchors and columnist who are on pay role of PML-N government. Opposition must come up with solid evidences and must prove its allegations. The total budget of ministry is Rs 5.58 billion, of which Rs 3.4 billion was allocated for Radio Pakistan as it was not an earning organization. Rs 250 million were earmarked for Pakistan Television while Rs 530 million are allocated for press attaches abroad. Rs 100 million were reserved for special publicity fund while a small amount of Rs 12 million was kept under the head of secret fund. “This amount is meant for the treatment of the ailing journalists and their family members, or their local and foreign tours. This is the total allocation of Information ministry’s funds, opposition must go to court and prove its allegations while PPP must sue the opposition on false accusations.

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