ISLAMABAD: The list of the
282 journalists who received payments and gifts from the secret fund of
the information ministry was made public following a Supreme Court
order.
Jasmeen Manzoor, Arif Nizami, Saleh Zafar, Munizhe Jehangir, Rameeza Nizami, Dr Hasan Askari Rizvi, Asma Chaudhry, Sherbano Taseer, Raza Rumi, Amir Mir, Sohail Warraich, Nazir Naji and Baqir Sajjad Syed feature on the list, among others.
According to the rules and regulations, the purpose of the secret fund is only to obtain or uncover sensitive information necessary to protect ‘national interest/national security’.
It cannot be used for any other purpose, such as emergencies or incidental expenses. All withdrawals are supposed to come under specific heads and justifications.
Another list of 155 journalists who took gifts and payments from the information ministry will also be made public later.
A spokesman of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting clarified that secret funds have no link with Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) and the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), tweeted Radio Pakistan.
Background
SC Judge Jawwad S Khawja remarked during the April 11 hearing of the information ministry secret funds case that Rs300 million was apparently given away to a private television channel.
Journalists and members of the civil society demanded the Supreme Court make public the names of the private TV channel that received Rs300 million from the information ministry and of all those journalists who allegedly received huge payments from the ministry.
Jasmeen Manzoor, Arif Nizami, Saleh Zafar, Munizhe Jehangir, Rameeza Nizami, Dr Hasan Askari Rizvi, Asma Chaudhry, Sherbano Taseer, Raza Rumi, Amir Mir, Sohail Warraich, Nazir Naji and Baqir Sajjad Syed feature on the list, among others.
According to the rules and regulations, the purpose of the secret fund is only to obtain or uncover sensitive information necessary to protect ‘national interest/national security’.
It cannot be used for any other purpose, such as emergencies or incidental expenses. All withdrawals are supposed to come under specific heads and justifications.
Another list of 155 journalists who took gifts and payments from the information ministry will also be made public later.
A spokesman of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting clarified that secret funds have no link with Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) and the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), tweeted Radio Pakistan.
Background
SC Judge Jawwad S Khawja remarked during the April 11 hearing of the information ministry secret funds case that Rs300 million was apparently given away to a private television channel.
Journalists and members of the civil society demanded the Supreme Court make public the names of the private TV channel that received Rs300 million from the information ministry and of all those journalists who allegedly received huge payments from the ministry.
