Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Information Secretary Shafqat Mahmood has urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to take notice of misappropriation of state resources by Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) Nawaz Sharif for political purposes.
He elaborated that Sharif distributed cheques of Rs 200,000 each to victims of Gayari landslide and announced Rs 200,000 for the flood victims in Tehsil Jaffarabad, Balochistan.
“While no one can object to relief being provided to affected families, a question does arise regarding the money Sharif is distributing. Is it his personal money? Is he parting with a miniscule part of the vast Sharif fortune? Or is this PML-N money?” he questioned.
“On any of these counts no one can object,” said Mahmood, “but if Mr Sharif is distributing my money – because Punjab government’s money belongs to me too as a citizen of the province – he has no right to do so and I strongly object. He has no position in the Punjab government and by law is not authorised to go around doling out state money.”
The secretary also said if Sharif really was using Punjab government’s money for politics, it amounted to pre-election rigging and it was unacceptable.
Mahmood requested the chief election commissioner to take notice of political parties in government that were using state resources for political expediency.