ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president and opposition leader in National Assembly, Shehbaz Sharif requested Tuesday that the Supreme Court dispose of a case against him regarding hefty expenditure by the Punjab government on advertisements.
The younger Sharif submitted a cheque of Rs5.5 million payable to the government of Punjab in the court, along with an application to dismiss the case claiming that whatever he did as chief minister of Punjab was in good faith.
The Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar while hearing the case remarked that Shehbaz Sharif in an exemplary move has submitted the cheque voluntarily and other leaders should also follow the same.
The advertisement in question had Shehbaz’s face prominently displayed on it, which the court took notice of. The court had ordered him to reimburse the national exchequer for the Rs5.5 million after a Punjab government newspaper advertisement carrying his photograph was displayed in court during the hearing of the case on March 8.
The court is seized with a matter regarding the issuance of the advertisement in an allegedly biased and non-transparent manner by the Punjab government to the print and electronic media.
Shehbaz said in his application the advertisement was issued in good faith and that he never had any intention of benefiting either his person or party.
The application insisted that there was no violation of any law, rule, regulations or guidelines and that all was done in good faith.
Earlier, the Punjab government stated that the publication of advertisements bearing pictures of the prime minister, the president, chief minister, governor and members of parliament has been a common practice in the country and no law, rule, regulation or guideline prohibits this practice and that the advertisement in question was published in good faith.
Since the applicant (Mr Sharif) did not want to pursue the matter further, a fresh cheque for Rs5.5m was attached with the application.
