Staff Reporter
A division bench of Sindh High Court has ordered officials of Sindh Information Department to immediately provide record of payments made to advertising agencies by government of Sindh on the pretext of newspapers dues. The bench comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Syed Yousuf Ali, heard the contempt of court case filed by the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) on Thursday here at Karachi. The CPNE was represented by Dr. Jabbar Khattak, its Secretary General whereas a large number of editors and journalists were also present in the court room. No official from Sindh Information Department appeared in the court while government lawyer prayed court to allow more time for compliance of its orders. Allowing the pray of defence council, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar ordered to provide details of payments made to advertising agencies by government of Sindh at the pretext of newspapers dues. Next hearing of case was fixed on March 03, 2020. In its plea, CPNE has requested for payments of dues outstanding from 2005 to 2018 pertaining to the Sindh government advertisements issued either directly or through advertising agencies. Earlier on January 22, the SHC directed the provincial director (advertisement) to submit a statement showing year-wise amount paid by the information department to advertisement agencies till Feb 6. The director (advertisement) of the Sindh government’s information department, Zulfiqar Ali Shah, appeared and filed a report regarding compliance of the court’s last order. He filed a statement mentioning that out of Rs4.6 million, Rs3,907,789 had already been paid by the information department and also produced copies of the cheques. He said the remaining amount will be released soon, as stated by him, after checking some vendors’ code for such payment. Jabbar Khattak, the secretary general of the CPNE, pointed out that the petitioner has asked for the payment of its member publications for the fiscal years 2005-06, 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18.
