Govt approves Rs2bn for ISPR to counter propaganda against state institutions

The federal government has approved Rs2 billion for the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) to fight fake information targeting state institutions, The Express Tribune has reported.

According to reports, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) on Monday approved over Rs10 billion in additional grants, including funds for the defence ministry.

Minister for Petroleum Musadik Masood Malik, Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Ali Parvez Malik and federal secretaries as well as senior officers from relevant ministries and divisions were present during the meeting.

The military had asked for around Rs2 billion as upfront one-time cost with a recurring annual budget of Rs1.6 billion to further beef up their systems amid cyber threats while playing a significant role in countering fake information about state institutions.

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir has also often stressed the need to bring justice to the “inimical element” involved in disseminating fake news and propaganda.

With the ECC reviewing the request, a technical supplementary grant of Rs1.945 billion in favour of the defence ministry was approved, the report quoted finance ministry officials as saying. They said that the ECC had decided to release Rs2 billion immediately, of which an amount of Rs1.22 billion has been sanctioned for technological upgrades and the remaining Rs723 million for cyber security purposes.

The remaining Rs1.6 billion is likely to be made part of the regular budget, and its approval would be secured at the time of its announcement in June, the officials said.

Additionally, the finance ministry stated that the ECC also approved the interior ministry’s request for a supplementary grant of Rs650.5 million to cover security arrangements and maintain law and order during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit 2024, repair safe city cameras damaged during violent protests and address other law enforcement needs.

The finance ministry, however, clarified that the grant had been provided by diverting funds from the offices of Islamabad deputy commissioner and advocate general besides the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) police fund.

The ECC also approved Rs1.7 billion in additional budget to clear pending liabilities of Huawei Technology on account of the Safe City Camera project in Islamabad.

The finance ministry said that the payment would be made to Huawei Technologies to clear the remaining 5 percent of the contract cost for federal capital’s Safe City Project, as directed by the Islamabad High Court (IHC).