Imran Khan welcomes SC probe into KP govt ads

ISLAMABAD: As the Supreme Court is hearing a case pertaining to self-promotion of political leaders at taxpayers’ expense, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan on Tuesday welcomed a probe into a media campaign run by his party’s government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

In a statement on his official Twitter account, the PTI chief said, “We welcome the CJ probe into adverts where SS was told to return the taxpayers’ money he spent on personal publicity.”

“Nowhere in the world is taxpayer money used so shamelessly for personal publicity as in Pakistan. No wonder people are reluctant to pay their taxes.”

We welcome the CJ probe into adverts where SS was told to return the taxpayers’ money he spent on personal publicity. Nowhere in the world is taxpayer money used so shamelessly for personal publicity as in Pakistan. No wonder people are reluctant to pay their taxes.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) March 13, 2018

In another tweet he said: “PTI welcomes SC probe into KP govt adverts where the official policy is that neither the CM nor ministers allowed to put their pics on govt ads. In almost 5 yrs KP govt spent only Rs1.6 bn – miniscule compared to Punjab where S Sharif spent massively with his face on govt ads.”

PTI welcomes SC probe into KP govt adverts where the official policy is that neither the CM nor ministers allowed to put their pics on govt ads. In almost 5 yrs KP govt spent only Rs1.6 bn – miniscule compared to Punjab where S Sharif spent massively with his face on govt ads https://t.co/Yn3CzlSYb8

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) March 13, 2018

His tweets came a day after the apex court was informed by KP Information Secretary Qaiser Alam that the provincial government had spent Rs 1.63 billion on media campaigns in its five-year stint.

To a query about how many ads carried the photo of PTI Chairman Imran Khan and Chief Minister Pervez Khatta, he responded there was no government policy allowing printing of chief minister or party chief’s pictures on advertisements.

Separately, responding to a brawl between Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’ son and PTI MNA Hamidul Haq, Imran said: “Strongly condemn the attack by PM’s son & his bodyguards in Senate gallery on our MNA Hamidul Haq.”

“The Gullu Butt mindset of PMLN is pervasive in PMLN and is damaging to democracy in Pakistan.”

Strongly condemn the attack by PM’s son & his bodyguards in Senate gallery on our MNA Hamidul Haq. The Gullu Butt mindset of PMLN is pervasive in PMLN and is damaging to democracy in Pakistan.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) March 13, 2018