No hard copies of Economic Survey for journalists | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

No hard copies of Economic Survey for journalists

ISLAMABAD: The finance ministry, for the first time in its history, failed to provide hard copies of Pakistan Economic Survey 2008-09 to journalists when the document was unveiled here on Thursday.

Interestingly, top government officials, including Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance Shaukat Tarin, State Minister for Finance Hina Rabbani Khar and Economic Adviser Zamir Ahmed, had their copies with them to pose for photographs.

Mr Ahmed claimed that the delay in provision of the hard copies was due to “some logistical problems” and that the copies would be available “within five minutes.”

On repeated requested by the media persons, Mr Tarin and the finance secretary also asked the economic adviser three to four times to arrange the copies. Mr Ahmed every time sought “five minutes,” but the document never reached the auditorium.

Shortly after the press conference ended, the economic adviser proudly announced that the survey’s hard copies and CDs were available for media persons, besides the document was also available on the ministry’s website.

Still it took another half an hour for the journalists to get the CDs. During this period the adviser remained with the journalists to keep them busy in idle chit-chat.

Source: Dawn

Date:6/12/2009