The Superior Court of Lahore (LHC) issued notices on a petition presented by the PTI against the Punjab government on Friday for alleged “waste of public funds” through a recent extensive promotional supplement.
A 60 -page newspaper supplement was published in most national newspapers on February 26, 2025, highlighting the performance of the Punjab government in its first year under Prime Minister Maryam Nawaz.
While the supplement generated debate and questions on social networks, including a PPP leader, Punjab information minister, Bokhari Azma, defended it and dismissed the criticisms of the PTI as “propaganda.”
Today, Judge Farooq Haider took the petition presented by the opposition leader of the Punjab Assembly, Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachaha, on March 3 through the lawyer Abuzar Salman Niazi.
Subsequently, the judge issued notices to the respondents in the case, namely the Punjab government, its information department and the General Directorate of Public Relations.
In his request, Bhachaha had requested that the court declare the “unconstitutional, illegal, arbitrary and without legal authority” supplements.
He had also urged the court to declare the “use of public funds for the promotion of the starting prime minister” as the same.
The PTI leader had also requested that the LHC order the defendant to immediately cease all the activities that are financed from the public treasure related to the promotion of the main minister and order the recovery of that amount of the “personal pocket” of CM Maryam.
Bhachaha had argued that the supplement was a “advertising trick destined to personally benefit” from the prime minister. He said it was “completely ridiculous and shocking that there are 301 photos” of CM Maryam in all the material.
The plea said that the supplement had 28 photos of the father of CM Maryam, Nawaz Sharif, the president of PML-N.
“Therefore, the dynasty and clan of the Sharif family are being promoted through the waste of public funds and taxpayers’ money,” he added.
Another request was presented before LHC on February 28, looking for action against Nawaz and CM Maryam for allegedly misuse of public funds for “personal and political promotion.”
