Sharjeel siphoned off Rs5.77b through ad tenders
Advertisements awarded to companies without inviting tenders
PHOTO: PPI
KARACHI:
A NAB investigation has revealed that Sindh’s former information minister Sharjeel Memon had given advertising agencies permissions to run advertisement campaigns in blatant violation of the law.
Some advertising companies, close to the minister, were given advertisements without inviting tenders which is a prerequisite. All official guidelines as well as the official per minute rates for both television (TV) and radio ads were ignored in the process.
Sharjeel, by overstepping his boundaries, also approved a media plan proposed by advertising agencies without even investigating it first. Later, the former minister with the help of Information Secretary Zulfikar Ali Shalwani and other officials used back-dated documents to legalise the approval.
The investigation also revealed that the bills that were actually issued from the TV and radio channels were kept hidden by the advertising agencies in question, and exuberantly priced bills were issued to the information ministry in their place.
Accountability watchdog triumphs in six-hour game of ‘NAB me if you can’
According to the existing rules, an advertising agency is entitled to 15% of the total bill as commission, but they received far more than their fair share, thanks to the approval of the fabricated bills by the ministry.
Shalwani was also guilty of appointing a junior officer out of turn as advertisement director, who also helped run this scam.
According to the references, officials from the information ministry and advertising agencies drained the national exchequer through the well thought-out plan.
The NAB references named 17 people, of which the interim bail applications of 14 were cancelled on Tuesday, with prompt arrest orders for those present in court.
Midas Advertising’s Inam Akbar and former information director Yousuf Kaboro could not be arrested as they did not appear for the hearing.
A NAB investigation has revealed that Sindh’s former information minister Sharjeel Memon had given advertising agencies permissions to run advertisement campaigns in blatant violation of the law.
Some advertising companies, close to the minister, were given advertisements without inviting tenders which is a prerequisite. All official guidelines as well as the official per minute rates for both television (TV) and radio ads were ignored in the process.
Sharjeel, by overstepping his boundaries, also approved a media plan proposed by advertising agencies without even investigating it first. Later, the former minister with the help of Information Secretary Zulfikar Ali Shalwani and other officials used back-dated documents to legalise the approval.
The investigation also revealed that the bills that were actually issued from the TV and radio channels were kept hidden by the advertising agencies in question, and exuberantly priced bills were issued to the information ministry in their place.
Accountability watchdog triumphs in six-hour game of ‘NAB me if you can’
According to the existing rules, an advertising agency is entitled to 15% of the total bill as commission, but they received far more than their fair share, thanks to the approval of the fabricated bills by the ministry.
Shalwani was also guilty of appointing a junior officer out of turn as advertisement director, who also helped run this scam.
According to the references, officials from the information ministry and advertising agencies drained the national exchequer through the well thought-out plan.
The NAB references named 17 people, of which the interim bail applications of 14 were cancelled on Tuesday, with prompt arrest orders for those present in court.
Midas Advertising’s Inam Akbar and former information director Yousuf Kaboro could not be arrested as they did not appear for the hearing.