LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Friday sought replies from the federal and Punjab governments seeking an explanation for lack of a policy on official advertisements despite Supreme Court orders.

The replies were sought by Justice Farooq Haider while hearing a petition filed by PTI Punjab chief organiser Aliya Hamza Malik, through her counsel Advocate Azhar Siddique, against media advertisements featuring Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

The counsel argued that the Supreme Court had taken a suo motu notice of political figures’ photos appearing in government advertisements. As a result, he said, PM Shehbaz, as then chief minister of Punjab, had to return Rs5.5 million to the national exchequer.

He pointed out that the Supreme Court had ordered the formulation of a policy on government advertisements.

However, the lawyer said that instead of complying with the order, the Punjab government used electric buses to promote the Punjab chief minister’s political image.

He argued that personal branding through government advertisements violates the Supreme Court’s ruling.

He alleged that PM Shehbaz and CM Maryam had been violating the apex court’s order by continuing self-promotion through government-funded media advertisements.

The petitioner’s counsel asked the court to initiate contempt proceedings against those responsible for violating the Supreme Court’s directives in this regard.

Justice Haider rejected the request for an immediate stay order against the advertisements, noting that the court would first review the replies from the respondents before deciding on any further action.

The judge directed the law officers of the federal as well as Punjab governments to furnish the replies of the respondents within a fortnight.

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

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

Published in Dawn, March 15th, 2025