LAHORE:
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani ordered the information ministry to pay Rs350 million to some advertising agencies in violation of prescribed rules.
A letter addressed to Accountant-General Pakistan (Revenue) directed that the process of this payment should not be used as a precedent for any other case in the future.
The notification was issued after approval of a 15-point summary prepared by secretary ministry of information and broadcasting Taimur Azmat Usman.
The accountant-general, in a letter dated June 11, 2011, was informed that “order has been issued for payment of dues of advertising agencies, payable by the federal government during the period from July 1, 2000 to June 30, 2008, by a one-time suspension of all rules and regulations.”
“Now, all payments should be cleared on the payment of receipts issued by advertisement agencies and departmental release order,” the letter added.
The information ministry’s summary said that an All Pakistan Newspaper Society (APNS) delegation called on the prime minister and, among other things, demanded payment of dues from the period 2000 to 2008.
The prime minister approved the demand and advised the finance and information ministries to handle the issue, the summary added.
In cloaked words, the summary confessed that the federal government was not delaying the payments – the delay was caused because the agencies claiming the dues did not provide the required documents.
While the summary creates the impression that APNS has been pressing its demand for payment of dues, it ignores the letter by acting general-secretary APNS Shumaila Matri Dowood that proofs of the dues, actual receipts, original tear sheets etc were not presented.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 16th, 2011.
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