PESHAWAR, May 20: Over 40 people have been recruited on various posts in the media cell of the Fata civil secretariat without meeting procedural requirements, it is learnt.

Sources quoting an inquiry committee report said that former governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah had issued verbal directives to set up the media cell to promote development activities of the donor-driven projects in the Federally Administered Tribal Area (Fata).

The media cell headed by a director-general was set up in 2004 with the financial support of foreign donors including the United States Agency for International Development (Usaid).

According to the report, the employees were recruited without framing rules and regulations, approval from the selection committee. The posts were never advertised in any national and regional newspaper.

The sources said that the cell had installed four small radio stations in North Waziristan, South Waziristan and Khyber agencies to raise the level of awareness of the local communities about the development programmes being carried out in the areas.For the purpose, report said, 42 posts were created in the cell that had also published two newsletters to highlight functions of the government functionaries and progress relating to development activities in seven agencies of Fata.

The sources said that the cell received funds from foreign donors for its development activities, but the amount they received remained unaccounted for.

At present the cell operates without the services of a director-general of a BPS-20 officer from the last three months which had further hampered its output.

The sources said that the lack of cooperation on the part of the high-ups was the main hurdle standing in the way of smooth sailing of the media cell.