Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), Mian Saqib Nisar, has taken a suo moto notice regarding the media campaigns run by provincial governments of Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
CJP questioned the governments’ moves to spend taxpayers’ money for promoting their own agenda. CJP constituted a three-member bench headed by himself and will hear the case on 12th March.
Court’s Orders
Chief Justice further directed information secretaries to submit a report detailing the expenses on awarding advertisements to electronic and print media. The court ordered that this report is to be submitted within a week.
Supreme Court further sought the details about which media houses received these advertisements.
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CJP didn’t seem impressed by this move and expressed his displeasure. He said that more than 4000 schools do not have drinking water in Sindh, no medicines in hospitals while the government is busy spending money on advertisements.
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CJP told that;
Taxpayers’ money is being used for self-promotion, big advertisements are awarded at the nation’s expense, doesn’t this equate to pre-poll rigging?
He further added that government projects are being run with big logos and pictures of the ministers, he said;
They (govts) will have to promote their work at their own expense.
The first hearing of the court is scheduled to be on March 12.
