Govt conducting inquiry into Khushal Pakistan ads: Sherry
By Hina Kiyani

ISLAMABAD—Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ms Sherry Rehman Thursday informed the House that an inquiry is underway in the ads scam for Khushal Pakistan programme of previous government in which a number of heads will roll.
Speaking during the Question Hour, the minister said that the House committee will be informed of the outcome of the inquiry.
The Minister informed the House that only in print media, Rs 240 million were spent on projecting the Khushal Pakistani programme while the amount spent for advertisements in electronic media is much more.
“Inquiry is a must that why public money was squandered in such a way,” she added.
She said that it was a strange case in which the Prime Minister’s secretariat and the officials of the finance ministry were also involved.
She said that out of Rs 240 million which the government has paid to the newspapers, Rs 80 million still could not be reconciled.
She said her ministry only keeps 25 percent of quota for advertisements in regional newspapers while the government ads in national newspapers and those with large circulation is directly placed by the concerned department or the ministry.
These advertisements, she added, are placed keeping in view the target reader or the area where a message has to be conveyed. Due to financial restraints, the government has so far not carried out any official campaign in the print or electronic media, she said.
The one such ads, which were against terrorism, were placed in the newspapers was on Eid day after the Marriott bombing in Islamabad.
The Information Minister said that Indian advertisements on electronic channels are released through various advertisement agencies which earn the government significant revenue.
Similarly, she added, Pakistani ads are also released on Indian channels.
Replying to a question, the minister stated that some of the small cable operators were screening Indian movies on pressure from the general public as they fear closure of their cable if they do not show these movies.
In response to a question about containing obscenity on electronic media, she said in this age of Internet and easy access to satellite channels, the air waves cannot be controlled.
She also denied that PEMRA was putting pressure on any television channel for certain advertisements.