Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 11: In order to inquire into the allegations of irrational distribution of Government advertisements among the print media publications, the State Government has ordered attachment of the Joint Director Information, Kashmir and nominated Director Information, J&K, as the inquiry officer.
As per the Government order in this regard, Zahoor Ahmad Mir, Joint Director Information, Kashmir shall remain attached with the office of the Director Information, J&K Srinagar. Zahoor Ahmad, Deputy Director Information (Hqrs) Directorate of Information, shall look after the work of Advertisement wing and other routine work of the office of the Joint Director Information, Kashmir till further orders.
The inquiry officer shall submit his report to the Administr-ative Department within a period of one week positively.
Meanwhile, employees of Information Department began an indefinite strike over their demand of immediate revocation of attachment order of Joint Director Information Kashmir, Zahoor Ahmad Mir.”All the offices of Information Department both in Kashmir and Jammu Divisions will remain shut till the attachment order of Joint Director Kashmir is revoked,” a spokesman of the Information Department Employees Union said in a statement after an emergency meeting of the Union convened at Srinagar this morning.
The president of State Information Welfare Association (J&K) said all the works will remain suspended and all the advertisements issued to newspapers will remain affected till the attachment order against the Joint Director is not revoked.
“He should not have been attached without having any proof. We are not against the enquiry. But he should be allowed to work as Joint Director till the enquiry is completed. Without proof he shouldn’t be punished,” he said.
Minister for Information Chowdhary Zulfikar said that no officer should fear investigations. He was referring to the attachment of Joint Director Information.
He said an RTI application has found some irregularities and the Director Information has been asked to complete the inquirywithin seven days. “Let them strike. No officer should fear enquiries. If he is exonerated after the enquiry he will report to his duty,” the Minister said.
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