ISLAMABAD: Brandishing a cheque for Rs200 million, it seemed like the entire Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources had turned out at the PM’s Office on Friday for a chance to get their picture taken with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Federal Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi handed the PM a cheque – a donation to the PM’s fund for those displaced by the operation in North Waziristan – and everyone posed for a group photograph. Right afterwards, the PM’s Office issued an official statement and released the photograph, with smiles all round.

Also in the photo are Junior Minister Jam Kamal Khan, Secretary Abid Saeed and Special Adviser Zahid Muzaffar, as well as an unnamed ministry official from Lahore.

When asked where this king’s ransom came from, an official from the ministry’s media wing promised to get back to Dawn with a response, but later expressed his inability to obtain the required information.

Petroleum Secretary Abid Saeed was also not available for comment. But a recently retired federal secretary, who has served in several key positions, told Dawn the Petroleum Ministry was a rich division with scores of attacheddepartments. “Putting together a Rs200 million donation isn’t a big deal for them.”

This seems to be a simple case of state monies being transferred from one account to another.

Published in Dawn, July 19th, 2014