ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) was approached against the misuse of the public funds on the advertisement of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Turkey.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Ali Nawaz Awan, ex-MNA, on Saturday through advocate Babar Awan filed a petition under Article 199 of the Constitution and cited Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Secretary Finance, Secretary Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, and Principal Information Officer of Information Ministry as respondents.

The petitioner contended that Shehbaz Sharif government was squandering money on newspaper advertisements, adding that public money should be spent on the welfare of the people. “Non-development spending that too on the projection of one person at the expense of the entire nation is unacceptable under the norms of justice and sincerity to the public office.”

He maintained that the claim of the present government of empty treasury came out as an utter surprise to the public at large, when the citizens saw massive spending, beyond their imagination, by the Prime Minister on his Turkey visit without any legal authority, or lawful justification.

The petitioner argued that the act of the PM and other respondents are sheer misuse of authority for personal, and political benefits and advantages. He prayed that the impugned advertisement issued by the respondents be declared unlawful, unconstitutional, illegal, void ab-initio and in total disregard of the Supreme Court order in Watan Party case.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022