ISLAMABAD - A few heads in the Ministry of Information and its allied departments, particularly Pakistan Television Corporation, would likely to roll after the meeting of Federal Information Minister Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan with Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani wherein the latter had assured the former of addressing all the genuine grievances.
Sources told TheNation that firstly the Prime Minister admonished the information minister for creating scene at the 100th Cabinet meeting by tendering her resignation and said that she should have discussed the matter with him before taking the extreme step.
The sources further informed that Firdous apologized for all what had happened at the Cabinet meeting and said that she did it out of frustration, as nobody was listening to him and certain elements in the party and bureaucracy were constantly poking their nose in the affairs of the ministry.
The sources said that she directly put the blame on Central Information Secretary Qamar Zaman Kaira and some top bureaucrats whose interference in the ministry’s affairs had increased to such a level that her subordinates including Managing Director PTV were not listening to her instructions.
The information minister brought to the knowledge of the Premier that she had submitted summaries for change of heads of various departments working under the Ministry of Information but the Principal Secretary was sitting over them. She demanded that interference in her ministry must stop and she would be given free hand to deliver.
The sources said that the Prime Minister assured her that all her genuine grievances would be addressed.
In the backdrop of the meeting, it is expected that some big shots in PTV and some other departments working under the Ministry of Information would roll in coming days.
Firdous also assured the Premier that the news about her joining Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf was a conspiracy hatched by opponents and re-assured her unwavering support to the PPP.
Meanwhile, according to the press release issued by the PM Media Office, the Prime Minister had asked Firdous to evolve a strategy to showcase the achievements of the democratic government.
He also emphasized the need for projecting the record development work undertaken by the present government throughout the country involving about Rs 1.5 trillion funds.