Daily Times

Sindh Minister for Information and Archives and Labor Saeed Ghani on Wednesday asked the officers of the Information Department not to hesitate to defy his orders straightway if they felt that the directives were illegitimate.

He issued the orders while presiding over his first meeting of Information & Archives Department at his office. Secretary Information Imran Atta Soomro comprehensively briefed the newly appointed minister on the functions and working of various directorates of the department.

Addressing the meeting, the minister said that he wanted to facilitate the print and the electronic media more and more through the Information Department. I would also propose the Sindh government to consider issuing health cards to the journalists, he added. He said that the steps should be taken to ensure the equal distribution of the government advertisements and other facilities being provided by the Information Department between the large and small publications.

Saeed Ghani also discussed various ways and means to bring reforms in the Information Department. The meeting also discussed at length the overall media strategy in order to timely inform the people about various reforms, legislations and developmental activities of the Sindh government. The Minister said that Sindh Information Department was the ear, eyes and face of the Sindh government as its officers closely coordinate with the members of the cabinet and the CM House to promote soft image of the government.

He asked the officers to be positive, efficient, punctual and active towards following their responsibilities appropriately. The minister also desired that for further grooming of the officers of the Information Department professional training courses be arranged. He said that capacity building of the officers was an important part of the service as it enhanced their capabilities. To get desirable and effective results the officers of the department should must be equipped with the most recent and latest techniques of the mass media, he said.

The minister emphasized that the officers of the Sindh Information Department must approach towards professionalism and modern techniques involving to the journalism. He said the lethargic attitude towards dissemination of news and narrative building for the projection of government policies would not be acceptable. Officers should obtain leave if they felt that they were not able to deliver their responsibilities timely and efficiently, he said.

While briefing the Minister Secretary Information Imran Atta Somro told that how through a network of regional offices and officers attached with different Ministries and Chief Minister the information aimed at projecting a positive image of the government functionaries was being disseminated for its maximum outreach through medium of print, electronic and social media.