Imran Khan welcomes govt ads probe in SC, condemns PM’s son’s scuffle with PTI lawmaker

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan welcomed on Tuesday the Supreme Court’s probe into the government advertisements with the intent of personal glorification of politicians.

Taking to his Twitter handle, the PTI chief stated, “We welcome the [Chief Justice] CJ probe into adverts where [Shehbaz Sharif] 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

He followed that with another tweet stating, “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 – minuscule compared to Punjab where Shehbaz 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

Earlier on March 8, the Supreme Court had ordered Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif to submit Rs 5.5 million to the national exchequer after a newspaper advertisement on behalf of the Punjab government carrying his picture was shown in the court.

A three-member bench of the SC, headed by the Chief Justice (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar heard the suo motu notice over expenditure on government advertisements in the Lahore registry.

CONDEMNS ATTACK BY PM’S SON

Imran Khan taking to his Twitter account condemned the scuffle between  Prime Minister Shahid Abbasi’s son Abdullah Abbasi and PTI lawmaker and stated, “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

After the victory of the PPP-backed nominee in the Senate elections on Monday, the house echoed with pro-Zardari slogans which led to a scuffle between Prime Minister Shahid Abbasi’s son Abdullah Abbasi and PTI lawmaker Hamidul Haq on the issue of the sloganeering.

After the brief scuffle, both the individuals were shown out of the house following the altercation.