Pemra rejects defamatory campaign | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Pemra rejects defamatory campaign

Pakistan Press Foundation

ISLAMABAD: Commenting on a series of defamatory statements issued by what it calls “a handful of disgruntled employees facing disciplinary proceedings,” Pemra on Friday again rejected the vilification campaign as baseless, misleading and contrary to the facts.

It stated that the prime investigation agency, FIA, was conducting inquiries into the alleged illegal recruitment and grant of licences by Pemra, the government audit had carried out special audit of the last financial year i.e. 2012-13, even the DAC had been held to finalise audit observations for this period although no such exercise was done for the previous years.

The so-called POWA has no role to carry out accountability of the Pemra management. The management is responsible for carrying out business of the organisation as per rules and decisions of the authority comprising 12 members and a chairman.

A number of times, Pemra has clarified the facts. The credentials of the present management may be judged from the fact that Pemra is fully cooperating with the investigation agency and providing them all documents to carry out independent inquiries.

It is interesting to note that the probe into alleged illegal appointments in Pemra has been pending for almost one year and it was dormant before the present chairman took over and he himself requested FIA to speed up the probe to unveil the facts. The same can be confirmed from FIA.

Pemra has also repeatedly clarified that the accusations of favouritism in issuing licences or appointment of advertising agency on Pemra panel are already being probed by FIA. Pemra has repeatedly specified the procedure for issuing a licence of any category. The chairman has no power to grant any licence. It is the authority which takes such decisions.

The allegation against Pemra chairman for illegally appointing himself to this post is rubbish. No person in Pakistan can appoint himself as chairman or head of any government organisation. Had it been the case, these blame-mongers of Pemra would have appointed themselves as chairman. The procedure for appointment of Pemra chairman is clearly defined in Section 6 of Pemra (Amendment) Act 2007.

It will also be interesting to inform that the appointment of present Pemra chairman was challenged in the court but good sense prevailed and the court was requested to allow withdrawal of the case. Regarding the official vehicle and entertainment availed himself of by chairman, it has repeatedly been clarified that chairman is using the vehicle according to his entitlement.

The incumbent chairman is not the first one to use 1800 cc vehicle but all previous chairmen since 2005 have been using 1800 cc vehicle as per entitlement. The so-called association icons were very much there and they never raised such questions.

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