ISLAMABAD: This is apropos a recently published editorial in Business Recorder, referring to the "biased" report of Transparency International-Pakistan, in which the press conference by the Ministers of Communication and the Minister for Information and Broadcasting, has been subjected to unjust criticism.

The report of the Transparency International-Pakistan corroborated by the said newspaper alleged that the statements of the two Ministers and the statistics furnished by the NHA "contradicted to the level of ridicule".

"Certainly, the biased report of the Transparency International Pakistan and undue corroboration by the newspaper, causes immense disappointment in the political and journalists' corners that an institution such as Transparency International could go to this extent of misreporting and misrepresentations.

This now appears to be a glaring fact that the Transparency International-Pakistan formulated its malicious report without even analyzing the statements and the facts adduced by the Ministers, disclosing the scandals of corruption of the previous Government.

"Nevertheless, in order to reclaim the veracity of the statements made by the Ministers, or prove the report to be a well-written libel, it is reiterated that the Ministers referred to the unjust award of contracts at high prices as compared with those of 2021. The Ministers, taking cognizance of their moral and political responsibility, were intended to disclose the nexus between the previous government and contractors.

"As regards the alleged contradictions between the statements of the Minister and the data of the NHA, the detailed rebuttal by the NHA refutes the misleading report of the Transparency International Pakistan. If analyzed minutely and meticulously, the statements of the Ministers are in complete consonance with the data shared by the NHA."

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021