Journalists demand audit of press club

Journalists in Abbottabad have demanded audit of the Abbottabad Press Club and freezing of the club’s bank accounts till the scrutiny is completed.

A meeting of the working journalists of Abbottabad, including number of former office bearers of Abbottabad Press Club, asked the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa information secretary to issue list of journalists in the light of the recommendations of provincial scrutiny committee.

The provincial information department’s list will be the criteria for the membership of Abbottabad Press Club and holding of the club’s election, it was decided in a meeting of working journalists on Sunday. The meeting noted that few owners of local newspapers along with some non-journalists have illegally and unlawfully announced new office bearers of the club on February 27.

PTI starts proceedings against regional presidents

“We have already lodged our written objection on some of them in the list of 71 members recommended by dispute resolution committee after which the final list needs to be issued by information department before announcing election schedule and neutral election commission,” read the resolution issued after the meeting.

Similarly banks were also approached through resolution of majority of the members to freeze all bank accounts existed in the name of Abbottabad Press club till holding of legal and lawful elections of the club. K-P government was requested to stop funding till the time that elections would be held on scrutinised list and registration of the club with the lawful authority beside complete audit of accounts for the last five years.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 22^nd, 2021.