March 13, 2008	Thursday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 4, 1429

ISLAMABAD, March 12: The Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting here on Wednesday constituted a subcommittee to investigate the appointment of an adviser in scale MP-1 in the information ministry within 24 hours of the February 18 elections.

Though majority of the committee members had demanded to refer the appointment case of Mubashir Lucman, who is

now drawing Rs450,000 per month as salary, directly to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), it was decided in the end to form a subcommittee on the insistence of senators Mohammad Ali Durrani and Tariq Azeem, former federal and state minister for information, respectably.

Senators Enver Baig and Sadia Abbasi alleged that the appointment of Mr Lucman by the caretaker government did not stand the test of propriety, legality and ethics.

They said Mr Lucman was the employee of a private television channel and had no extraordinary qualifications or skills to be appointed in such a suspected manner.

Ms Abbasi said the adviser was nominated for appointment on February 14, and the caretaker prime minister Mohammedmian Soomro approved him in just 24 hours. His appointment letter was issued on February 19.

Caretaker Minister for Information Senator Nisar A. Memon and Secretary Information Syed Anwar Mahmood argued that the appointment was not illegal because the PTV News and Current Affairs departments desperately needed some one who could give it a new and fresh look in the backdrop of proliferation of new and independent TV channels.

Members of the committee also urged the media managers of the government to promote objectivity and credibility in the print as well as the electronic media by true depiction of events.

They were of the view that a free and independent media, being the guardian of people’s rights, should not only project the useful and national building activities of the government, but also provide honest feedback on its policies.