Pak Chief Justice takes suo motu notice of media blitz in provinces

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar on Wednesday took a suo motu notice of publicity campaigns by the provinces of country's Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

While, hearing a case related to the prices of medicines, the chief justice remarked that the governments of KP, Sindh and Punjab are funding their advertisement campaigns at taxpayer's expense, reported Geo News.

He observed that such campaigns fall under the purview of pre-poll rigging in light of the upcoming general elections.

"Taxpayers' money is being used for self-promotion, big advertisements are awarded at the nation's expense. Doesn't this equate to pre-poll rigging," the Chief Justice remarked.

"They [Governments] will have to promote their work at their own expense," he clarified, he added.

Chief Justice Nisar observed during the hearing that party funds and not the national exchequer should be used for such advertising campaigns.

The top judge also observed that there was no water in state-run schools, no medicines available in public hospitals and yet, provincial governments spend taxpayers' money on massive advertisements.

The chief justice directed the provincial chief and information secretaries to submit a report on the campaign in a week and adjourned the hearing until March 12.