PESHAWAR: The provincial ministers, deputy commissioners and tehsil municipal administrators have violated the rules by placing advertisements in newspapers in connection with Pakistan Day, according to sources.

The advertisements also carried the portraits of the ministers and officers concerned. The Monday’s local newspapers carried at least 23 advertisements issued by the provincial ministers and deputy commissioners of Swat, Nowshera and Buner districts wherein they felicitated the nation on Pakistan Day.

The advertisements were totally illegal as the provincial information department didn’t issue those and the government wouldn’t pay the newspapers, which published the same, sources said.

Information Minister Mushtaq Ghani said that his department didn’t issues the advertisement to the newspapers because it was not government policy to seek publicity. Those were in violation of rules, he added.

Violate rules by issuing advertisements to newspapers in connection with Pakistan Day

“There is standing order of Imran Khan that there will be no pictures of ministers or officers in advertisements. As a matter of principles, we should have issued these,” he told Dawn.

According to rules, the information department places government’s advertisements in the newspapers through a release order. “But in this case, the department wasn’t asked,” the minister said.

Mr Ghani also confirmed that the information department would not pay for the advertisements and the relevant departments, which issued those, would be responsible for the payment.

“The provincial excise and taxation department’s advertisement with pictures of Provincial Minister Mian Jamsheduddin Kakakhel and Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, narrates the achievements of the PTI-led coalition government, besides felicitating the nation on Pakistan Day, unlawfully,” sources said. They added that even the chief minister was kept in the dark about it.

Another advertisement in local dailies adorned the images of Local Government Minister Inayatullah Khan and chief executive of the province. It also brought embarrassment to PTI senior leaders, who argued that the responsible people would be held accountable, sources said.

They said that PTI leadership was saddened by the violation of party’s manifesto by its own ministers which didn’t allow self-projection. “PTI chairman Imran Khan has been very strict about unnecessary advertisements. He may take action because it violates the party’s core principles,” they said.

The advertisement of mineral development has been issued by the director-general of the department, having pictures of Minister Ziaullah Afridi and chief minister. It also counts the measures taken by the government for luring foreign investors to the province as well as making changes in the law to un-tap reserves of minerals in the province to a desired level.

The deputy commission of Nowshera has also issued an advertisement in connection with the relevance of the day. It says that the district administration is taking measures for provision of clean drinking water and health facilities. Unlike the other advertisements, it carries pictures of Quaid-i-Azam and Allama Mohammad Iqbal on top right corner.

The same deputy commissioner has also issued another advertisement in collaboration with the chief coordination officer. It carries the pictures of Minister Inayatullah Khan and chief minister.

The deputy commissioner of Buner and the deputy commissioner and administrator of district council Swat have also placed advertisements wherein they reaffirm their resolve to make the country strong.

Sources say that the chief secretary will take action against those violating government rules and policy of the party. “We are kept in the dark. Even Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has been bypassed,” they said.

Sources said that the chief secretary would issue warnings to the government officers regarding the unauthorised advertisements very soon.

Published in Dawn, March 24th, 2015

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