Minister assures transparency in allotment of plots to journalists

JournalismPakistan.com | Published: 3 March 2015

The Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Pervaiz Rasheed, assured the Senate of a transparent allotment process for plots to journalists. He emphasized adherence to quotas and a fair selection process for future allocations.
Summary

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervaiz Rasheed on Tuesday assured the Senate of transparency in the upcoming allotment of plots to journalists in different sectors of the federal capital.

Answering a question during Question Hour, the minister said, the present government has not so far allotted any plot to journalists. “However, I assure you that there will be no pick and choose in any future allotment process.”

The minister was asked about the criteria for the allotment of plots and the number of plots allotted to journalists during the last five years.

Rasheed said that during the last five years 11 journalists were allotted plots in sector G-14 Islamabad against the quota reserved for them.

The minister said that the question relates to an old case but when the present government will develop new sectors journalists will be allotted plots as per their quota and those journalists who have not been allotted plots previously shall be accommodated in those sectors.

He said the former prime minister had allocated a three per cent quota for journalists and 152 plots were allotted to journalists previously, whereas those remaining will be accommodated in new sectors.

He also mentioned the development of media colony by the Punjab government for journalists working in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Answering a supplementary question about the procedure of allotment, the minister said that an advertisement was published in newspapers earlier seeking applications from journalists. Then a committee was constituted for allotment on whose decisions certain journalists raised objections and approached the courts. Consequently, the then government also abided by the court verdicts.

“But the allotment process will be made transparent during the allotment of plots in the new sectors,” he said. He further explained that if the number of plots and the applications received shall have the same number then every applicant will be allotted a plot and if the number of application will be more than the plots quota then a proper balloting will be ensured. - APP

KEY POINTS:

Minister Pervaiz Rasheed addressed concerns about plot allotment for journalists.
No plots have been allotted so far under the current government.
Previous government allocated 152 plots to journalists with a 3% quota.
Allotment process to be transparent, with balloting if applications exceed plots.
Development of a media colony for journalists in Rawalpindi and Islamabad is also underway.