KARACHI: The Supreme Court on Saturday directed the Sindh chief secretary to submit details of a media campaign ran by the provincial government at taxpayers’ expense.
A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar, was hearing a suo motu case pertaining to ad campaigns of the provincial governments showing pictures of political leaders with public money.
The bench directed the chief secretary to submit complete details of the advertisements which carried pictures of political leaders and the funds spent on them.
He was further directed to swear an affidavit that the details he would be submitting would be accurate.
The chief justice took exception to the use of official flags having political leaders’ pictures and directed the authorities to remove them until April 04.
He affirmed he would ensure that the public money spent on self-projection of the provincial governments through media drives is returned to the national exchequer.
He said the advertisements showing the performance of the government with pictures of politicians should not be run at taxpayers’ expense.
CJP Nisar had taken suo motu notice of the use of public money for advertisement by the provincial governments.
He observed that the advertisements at a time when the general elections are round the corner are tantamount to pre-poll rigging.
