Prime Minister''s nod on adjustments in three-year STPF: MoC''s third attempt fails

Commerce Ministry''s third attempt to get approval of 2009-12 from Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani remained unsuccessful as Commerce Secretary Zafar Mahmood was not available to give presentation, official sources told Business Recorder.
They said that the Commerce Secretary was due to give a presentation to the Prime Minister on the proposed amendments in the withheld STPF, but he could not reach Prime Minister Secretariat due to his prolonged presence in the Supreme Court in the case of National Insurance Company of Pakistan (NICL) Rs 5 billion financial scam.
Public relations section of the Ministry first informed the media that briefing would be held at 4.30 pm on Monday, but later on revised it to 10.30 am on Tuesday. However, when the Commerce Ministry''s team, headed by Commerce Minister Amin Fahim came back to the Ministry, public relations section sent an e-mail, saying that the briefing had been cancelled.
An official commented that it appeared that no official, except Secretary Commerce, is eligible to brief the Prime Minister.
According to sources, Commerce Ministry will send a new request to the Prime Minister for briefing, after which adjustments in STPF may be announced.