Ex-secretaries against transfers in info ministry

Participants held that it was imperative to have a well-knit and coherent team for media management

APP:

Former federal information and broadcasting secretaries have expressed their anguish and dismay over reports appearing in the media regarding the sudden and massive reshuffle of the Information Group officers contemplated by the caretaker government.

In a meeting, former Information and Broadcasting secretary Khawaja Ijaz Sarwar expressed concern over reports that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had approached the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for transfer of officers at a time when a date for general elections had been announced.

Given their experience of having served as senior media managers under various governments, including caretaker set-ups, the participants held that it was imperative to have a well-knit and coherent team.

“Any largescale reshuffle of officers in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting at this stage will only vitiate the atmosphere and create unnecessary misgivings.”

The secretaries were unanimous in their view that instead of bringing in administrative changes, the caretaker government should solely focus on assisting the ECP in creating a conducive environment for the smooth conduct of elections.

The former secretaries urged the ECP to decline the request of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting as it would impinge on its image of an independent constitutional body mandated to hold fair elections in the country.