MNA Ali Wazir, in Tuesday's National Assembly session, objected to a controversial public service announcement of the Punjab government that reportedly carried racist undertones against the Pakhtoon community.

Soon after Finance Minister Asad Umar delivered his budget speech, Wazir — a Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) leader — raised his objections against the aforementioned ad campaign.

Federal Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak agreed with Wazir's viewpoint and issued an apology for the advertisement.

"This advertisement is akin to provoking the people," Khattak said. "[We have] directed the Punjab government to immediately stop this advertisement."

Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Afridi echoed Khattak's sentiments, adding: "Targeting a particular community flares tempers, and we oppose all such measures."

Mohsin Dawar, another PTM MNA, however, said that "an apology should come from the government of Punjab".

On September 15, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry had claimed that the ad in question was already off air.

"This advertisement was immediately taken off as soon it was brought to our attention," he said on Twitter. "It was aired hardly a few times before channels were directed not to air such advertisement. I urge people not to circulate this rejected version."