Down with official secrecy – list of bribed journalists to be made public

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Names of 282 journalists who accepted bribes from the information ministry are to be made public, the Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan ordered on Monday, striking down the government’s argument for ‘secrecy’ of the official documents.

The list of 282 journalists would be uploaded on the SC website later in the day. This is the first time that any such list has come into light as in the past the secret fund of the information ministry was never made public. Another list of 155 journalists who received payments or gifts would also be made public later.

The order of the SC came during the hearing of the case pertaining to petitions filed by two private television channel anchors who had requested the court to probe the matter of media accountability and payments made to journalists by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)- led government in 2011-2012.

Earlier last year, the court had begun itsprobe and sought information and froze the funds of the information ministry after the petitioners had requested an end to the ‘secret funds’ of the information ministry. The information ministry had denied the allegations at the time.

Later this year, the apex court found out that that the federal information ministry had distributed gifts worth millions from its secret funds among a few journalists during the year 2011-12. The court also learnt that on March 16, former prime minister Raja Parvez Ashraf had approved a summary sanctioning payment of over Rs1.32 billion for media campaigns.

 

 

8 COMMENTS

  1. The names of ex-Minister, Secretary, and Officers who disbursed funds should also be made public. They should also share 'koeray' equally like fish seller who was allowed to receive award from king on promise to share the prize money with 'durbans.'

  2. i think firsts of all all those in the should be suspended because it is the matter of nation and money of nation

  3. There is always a chance of corruption in secret funding.People of Pakistan must know about their public money.Both sides should be prosecute.

  4. Why 2011-2012? And why only those receiving money from government? All media persons who received any money during past 20 years from government, military and agencies should be made public.

  5. Media persons who took the money and it is proved ,now it is the duty of the government and Supreme Court to bring them on justice, to publish a list is not something final

  6. Media has become powerful instrument in present environment and started enjoying unabated perks and privileges.They should also be made accountable and brought to justice if received money for altering public opinion and anti state activities

  7. And still Raja Pervez Ashraf has been allowed to contest elections and Musharraf is under Judicial Remand and did not get a ticket. Wow.

  8. Why price hiking not only for common man`s useage,but also many other necessary comodities ahve risen due to bribes distributed by various government agencies and ministries are the live example of PPP and its alliances during the last 5 years.Now common man will come to know the Kertoots of their so-called lovey lutairas and wealth looters.crores of crores of LAANAT on these politians and beneficiaries.AGAR PAKISTANI QOAM PHIR BE SAMJH SAKAYE TOA PHIR ISS QOAM KA ALLAH HE HAFIZ HAI.THE SC MUST INVESTIGATE ON THE APPOINTMENT DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER OF PAKISTAN,HOW CIVIL RULES HAD BEEN CRUSHED TO BLESS BY THIS GOVERNMENT TO KEEP THEM IN THEIR ALLIANCE AND UNBELEIVABLE AMOUNTS HAD BEEN SPENT BY PPP TO FORM THE SO-CALLED ALLIANCES.SUO MOTU NOTICES MUST BE TAKEN FIVE YEARS RULED BY PPP IS A BLACK PERIOD IN THE HISTORY OF PAKISTAN.WE MUST LEARN AND DO NOT GIVE ANY VOTE TO THEM AS THEY WILL SELL PAKISTAN.BE AWARE OF PPP.ANP.MQM,PMLQ AND OTHER GREEDY PARTIES WHO TOOK PART IN THE COALITION PERIOD.

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