LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chief Organiser Aliya Hamza Malik has approached the Lahore High Court against media advertisements featuring Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

Ms Malik through her counsel filed a petition objecting that the PM and the CM have been using public funds for personal promotion, which is against the Supreme Court’s ruling.

The petition highlights that there is no existing policy regarding advertisements for government projects. It argues that the use of public funds for personal publicity is unconstitutional.

The petition further states that personal promotion through public projects contradicts the Supreme Court’s decision.

Therefore, it pleads, the court should order the government to comply with the Supreme Court’s ruling regarding advertisements.

The petition also seeks formulation of a policy for the publication of government advertisements and the recovery of public funds used for personal publicity.

The LHC has already issued notices to the government on two similar petitions filed against a 60-page advertisement supplement published in the press featuring CM Maryam and the alleged use of public funds for her and her father’s personal publicity.

The petitions were filed by Opposition Leader in Punjab Assembly Ahmad Khan Bhachar and activist Ashba Kamran.

Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2025