Sindh govt to improve process of ads distribution: minister

Nasir Hussain Shah says provincial department also to identify dummy publications

KARACHI: Sindh’s incoming information minister has said the provincial information department will improve the process of distribution of government advertisements among various newspapers – in order to make the process more transparent.

“Process of giving advertisements to newspapers will be made more transparent. Dummy newspapers should also be identified, so that government money is not wasted,” Nasir Hussain Shah who recently took charge of provincial information ministry said on Thursday.

Shah was chairing a meeting at the Sindh Information Department. Incumbent Secretary Information Rasheed Ahmed Solangi, Secretary Information Ahmed Baksh Narejo, Director General Public Relations (DGPR), and directors of all the directorates were present in the meeting.

The secretary information briefed the minister in detail on the current situation and functioning of the department. Shah while praising services of the outgoing minister, Saeed Ghani, said he would also try to further improve relationship between media and the information department.

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The minister said a comprehensive and transparent policy would be formulated regarding distribution of public advertisements and for this purpose opinion of all stakeholders would be considered.
He said available vacancies in grades-1 to -4 should be filled up immediately on merit.

“If there are vacant posts available in grades-5 to 15, then these posts should be advertised, and recruitment on these posts would be done through [testing service of] the Institute of Business Administration (IBA),” he said.

Shah directed the department not to delay promotions of its officers and officials. Talking about the capacity building and skills development, the minister said training of the officers would also be arranged so as to bring improvement in the functioning of the department.

Shah said a media centre would also be set up, “so that the efforts and steps being taken by the Sindh government for the welfare of the people of the province could be effectively highlighted.”

(With additional input from APP)