TI urges CJ to order govt to release dues of APNS members
KARACHI: Transparency International Pakistan (TIP) Adviser Syed Adil Gilani has urged Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry that the federal and provincial governments owed billions of rupees to newspapers and television channels in the head of advertisements, praying to take suo moto notice of the matter and order immediate release of these dues.
In a letter to the chief justice, the TIP adviser said that media houses were facing difficulties in paying salaries to employees.
Gilani said that the TIP in the Human Rights Case No 2395/5/2012 on March 30, 2013, the former prime minister illegally approved over Rs60 million for M/S Midas Advertising Agency, one week before completing his term.
Upon which, the All Pakistan Newspapers Society through a letter requested the TIP to inform the court that federal and provincial governments owed billions of rupees to their member organisations. Gilani prayed the court the policy of posting and transfer of officers of Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) and Police Service of Pakistan (PSP) to Balochistan.that, according to the APNS president, federal and provincial governments have to pay dues worth billion of rupees in the head of advertisements to the members of the society. The TIP official said that he believes that the APNS’s demand was prima facie justified as their member organisations publish advertisements after issuance of numbers by the federal and provincial information departments and these should be released immediately.
Gilani said he was informed by APNS members that 85 percent of the total dues are still pending with the government departments, which is causing severe problems in paying salaries to media workers.
The TIP prayed to the Supreme Court of Pakistan to take notice of the financial problems being faced by the media houses.
He said that awarding illegal contracts to some media agencies by the government was against the Basic Procurement Rules 2004.Gilani said financial crisis will affect the performance of the media, which is the best source for accountability.He prayed to the Supreme Court to order the government to release the remaining 85 percent dues of the APNS members so that they could run their affairs properly.
Source: The News
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