ISLAMABAD, Nov 26: The information ministry is finding it difficult to provide public relations officers (PROs) to the increasing number of federal and state ministers.

The publicity wing of the ministry had only 24 officers against 55 members of the federal cabinet and majority of them are looking after two and in one case three ministries.

The information officer (IO) covering three ministries -- health, environment and religious affairs—had to shuttle between environment in Enercon building near State Bank of Pakistan, religious affairs in Melody near general post office (GPO), and health in the main Pak secretariat.

Similarly, the official who caters to the media needs of ministries of youth affairs and labour & manpower have to run between Shaheed-i-Millat secretariat in Blue area and Pak secretariat to see their respective ministers.

The PRO for Kashmir affairs and information technology has to travel between the main Pak secretariat and Evacuee trust where these ministries are housed respectively.

With another expansion of the federal cabinet which is on the cards, the situation will become worse for the information ministry, as it is already facing serious shortage of IOs. After the recent addition of new divisions and ministries, their total number stands at 83, according to the federal government’s official website.

Though publicity wing of the information ministry is considered its most important part, but its officers try their best to stay away from this duty.

A senior official of the information ministry requesting anonymity said, every minister wanted an exclusive PRO for him/her, which was not possible considering the present strength of the ministers. Besides, he said, they were not adequately facilitated by the ministries concerned, hence, they preferred to stay away from this duty.

“Though they work with a certain ministry, but remain at the strength of information ministry, therefore, the ministry concerned does not look after their needs such as conveyance, telephone, computer, staff, etc. On the other hand information ministry could not provide them all these facilities,” he said.

“I have been asked to look after two ministries, which are happened to be at different places. Neither my own ministry provides official vehicle, nor the ministries I am working with, hence, I have to bear the extra burden. If I got opportunity, I would immediately leave this assignment,” said a young Information Officer (IO) who requested not to be named.

Even if any IOs try to deliver their duty professionally, they are not provided with enough information to disseminate across the media instead, ministers want their personal projections. They are more interested in publishing their photographs, than some interest worthy information about their ministries.

Journalists, too, are not happy with the PROs. “They are hardly available, whenever needed for the official comment. I think the government needs to train them on professional lines, so that they could effectively interact with journalists,” a senior journalist commented.