A showdown has begun between the Punjab government and the renowned TV host Mubashir Luqman over the distribution of laptops that is taking place in the province.
Luqman, who revealed multiple discrepancies in the laptop distribution in a show, filed a writ petition in Lahore High Court against alleged embezzlement in the procurement and unlawful distribution of laptops by the Punjab government.
Luqman pleaded that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz was misusing public money of Punjab government for its political purpose and the policy of merit had been violated in the laptop scheme. He alleged that the laptops had been distributed among the workers of Muslim Student Federation that was the secondary organisation of PML-N.
The application, which was filed under the article 199 of the constitution, stated that purchase process of these laptops computers was not transparent since they had been procured without a tender which was open violation of Public Procurement Rules 2004. Luqman alleged that the contract was given to a firm Enex Technologies which was the subsidiary company of a business group Dawar Group of Karachi, adding that the Transparency International had also objected the purchase of laptops.
He alleged that the laptops were purchased 70 percent in excess of the original market value of the machine and they had no warranty period. The application said the laptops also had fake software, which was objectionable on international level. It further stated that the computers were distributed by PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Safdar, who had nothing to do with the Punjab government.
The applicant pleaded the court to take all the record of the scheme into custody and declare it illegitimate.
Separately, the Punjab government decided to sue Luqman over his programme on the laptop scheme. According to an official handout, Nawaz and chief minister had asked the Special Assistant on Education to chief minister Zaeem Qadri to send a legal notice to Luqman. The legal notice was sent for damages of Rs1 billion to Luqman for levelling allegations in a programme against the scheme without any proof.
Qadri said Lucman had levelled baseless, unfounded and misleading allegations against the transparent procedure of the distribution programme, and did not bother to take the Punjab government’s point of view, which he said was against journalistic values.
Lucman destroyed his reputation by airing a program without any proper research. certain facts were wrong. The laptop was loaded with Ubuntu linux and not window7. So there was no copyright infringement. I bought my Dell in the USA and it was made in China.
@dddd
My dear ‘dd’ idiots do live in the USA.
did you get a chance to see that laptop, its processor is slow ram is less, design is old ,i also have a dell laptop from Australia, manufactured in china, but for $400 you can get far better laptop than what Punjab govt. giving.
Yaar why u buy fake laptop in America?! Any way lucman is doing great work. God bless him and others who speak the truth. Such as why was princess maryam Nawaz distributing and practicing politics on behalf of Punjab govt?
Lucman,your a gone case. This petition will prove your biases and your non seriousness towards highlighting true fact. This petition will prove how manipulative you are. Let's hope the court declares you an impotent journalist and permanently bans your show. You surely are a black sheep and destroying the true essence of journalism.
It true that merit not follow in taking laptops. My college top students not get but theyr lower class fellow gettings. Some connection good for getting hand on laptops like MSF. I feel happy I got laptop but not all good student getting
Lucman, Let's hope the court bans your show. You surely are one of the black sheeps amongst journalists whose distorting the image of our media. I hope you get banned.
aik number ka chotya banda hai lucman … pti ka pitho
its not abt great or poor idea…its abt corruption in it whihc should be investigated………… People should se Both Videos: Lucamns and Punjab Govt’s on SS page
@ sohail: made in china does not mean that its fake … Almost all the big companies have outsourced their production to china to save costs because the labour in china is very cheap!
I don't know about the allegations but the laptop distribution did not seem like a great idea in the first place. Why not use that money to revise the curriculum, train and employ qualified teachers, schools'infrastructure or give out as scholarships funds to deserving students. Failed attempt!
He is not best anchor. Sana bucha is true lady and should do programe on truth of this issue. I am witness that laptop were handed out to good students. Inshallah PMLN will do same next year with better laptops.
PPP/PML part of the same family of crooks. Well done for exposing the crooks!
I can’t believe how Pakistanis react. You have to give courts a chance without reaching any judgement against plaintiff in this case. Pakistanis have a long long way to go.
The laptop came loaded with Ubuntu Linux and not Windows 7 as lucman claimed. There were no copyright infringements. Moreover, Dell laptops are made in China. I bought one from Dell in the USA and it was made in china.
There is no reason to get personal on this issue. The issue is the awarding and distributing of laptops, not wether Luqman is a good or a bad person. There is nothing wrong with questioning the quality and motives for handing out laptops. I agree 100% that this scheme had political motives for n league. nawaz and his daughter have no business distributing these laptops on behalf of punjab govt. Since these laptops are bought with public money maybe a "elected" govt. official would be a better choice to be distributing these laptops. One point that has been missed by most people is that without access to internet, these laptops are nothing but big button calculators. Punjab govt. should have spent the money on building the infastructure first but the decided to put the cart in front of the horse. This matter should be investigated.
Pehlay is k khilaf petition jani chahye
Sharif brothers going down man!! Let’s get rid of cancer of curruption in Pakistan.
Luqman is a well known for his misbehave. He is a journalist and must point out the discrepencies of the programme but comming in front like a mujahid is not meant for His job. Its something deep personally.
Pring messages of him also show open biasedness against Shahbaz Sharif. He should honour the man whom Allah gave honour.
Rafaqt Ali Ranjha
Sir Mubashar Lucqman, You are doing great job after a long time i heard a brave voice against our corrupt politicians and so called Khadim e Aala!
May God Bless you and give you strength against corruption and unloyalty 🙂
Im proud of you 🙂
He is on paycheck of MQM and PTI
Watch front line with kamran, 9th may 2012.
PMLN totally blasted lucman's baseless allegations.
Must watch !
matter submitted in to the court let the court will decide
Made in china laptops are common for any brand these days, having said that any country would have not allowed such scheme for only and only political gains of one party on public money. Best use would have been to install computer labs at schools and colleges with much cheaper computer compared to laptops and they will not be used by selected people but every student at school and college levels. That would have been much much better, but sole purpose of this is to only buy some young voters and personal publicity! Let the courts decide whats wrong. Dell is not top notch laptop company as projected by PML but a mass sale brand at the cheaper end of the market. Its strange that laptops are loaded wth Ubantu, while around the world dell ships with licensed windows installed. Icing on the cake, every laptop has Shebaz Shareef written on it!! pathetic!
Sir last year mery marks 59 percent thy so mujhy laptp nhe mila but is sal mery marks 79.5% hain. I am a student of MBA. Plz tell me kya mujhy laptop mily ga plz reply me
well done Mr.Mubashar Lucqman…atleast the is one man..who opened the corruption gate of Shareef brothers…other wise judiciary has given them clean chit…
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