The Finance Ministry has decided to launch the 'Economic Survey' in 'Q' Block, rather than 'P' Block auditorium at 4:00 pm under strict vigilance of Special Branch, sources told Business Recorder.
"This time, the Economic Survey will be launched on Sunday in the committee room of Finance Ministry, and the personnel of Special Branch will not allow any journalist, whose name is not in the approved list, to attend the press conference," they said. Last year, journalists had boycotted Economic Survey press conference when the news reached 'P' Block that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had disclosed the details.
However, Minister of State for Finance, Omer Ayub Khan, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Finance Dr Salman Shah and the architect of 'Economic Survey', Dr Ashfaque Hasan Khan had brought back the journalists, promising that this practice would not be repeated next year.
Another issue which irritated the government team then was the 'provocation' from some the journalists who insisted on provision of details of foreign loans taken by the government, which was not responded properly. Sources said that keeping in view last year's experience, the government has taken decision to allow only selected economic journalists of national dailies, private television channels and foreign media.