PML-N govt flayed for exorbitant spending
'When the public is deprived of necessities like flour, medicine, and electricity, when farmers are forced to throw their crops on the streets and when millions of youth are unemployed, spending Rs730 million on bullet-proof Mercedes is not just extravagance, but a blatant display of the looting mentality and anti-people governance of heartless rulers,' claimed Shayan Bashir, the head of PTI Punjab Media Cell.
According to him, this anti-public decision comes at a time when 35 million citizens of Punjab are forced to live below the poverty line, 15 percent tax on medicines has made healthcare inaccessible for the poor, 165 mothers are dying per 100,000 births, farmers are being devastated due to a 25 percent increase in fertiliser prices, doubled water bills, and falling wheat prices; and unemployment has crossed 7.5 percent.
'This was money that could have been spent on public welfare, essential services, and the development of the province. There are many regions in Punjab where people do not have access to food or clean drinking water, yet the greed and insatiable appetite of the elite know no bounds,' he said.
According to him, on July 7, 2025, he submitted a request to the Punjab Finance Department seeking details on the purchase, usage, and justification of these luxury vehicles. In response, the department absolved itself of all responsibility, shifting the burden entirely onto other departments. This response suggests either that the department is so incompetent that it released funds without any review or verification, or that this is part of a serious corruption scandal.
Its refusal to provide information is not only unconstitutional, but also clear violation of the Right of Access to Information Act 2017, under which all government departments are obligated to provide information to the public. 'I will pursue both public protest and legal/constitutional action against this corruption and exploitative governance, to ensure that corruption is eradicated and the rights of the people are protected,' he added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
43 minutes ago
- Express Tribune
India I-Day: Black Day observed in AJK
Protesters belonging to Pasban-e-Hurriyat Jammu and Kashmir shout slogans as they march on a road in Muzaffarabad. PHOTO: NNI Kashmiris across both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) and around the world marked India's 78th Independence Day on Friday as Black Day, staging protests and rallies to denounce New Delhi's forcible and illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir. The coordinated observance - called by the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) and endorsed by pro-freedom groups — unfolded under sweeping restrictions in IIOJK and against the backdrop of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan. Reports from Srinagar described an unprecedented security presence, with heavily armed troops patrolling streets, manning checkpoints, and blocking key intersections. Authorities, fearing large-scale demonstrations in support of Pakistan and against Indian rule, imposed movement restrictions and intensified surveillance. The entire city feels like a fortress. Even small gatherings are being dispersed, said media reports. According to APHC leaders, the clampdown is part of a long-standing strategy to "suppress peaceful political dissent" in the region. "Black Day is a reminder to the world that the Kashmir dispute remains unresolved and our demand for self-determination is non-negotiable," an APHC spokesperson said in a statement. The observance extended far beyond the valley. In cities including London, Brussels, Washington D.C., and Toronto, Kashmiri diaspora communities and their supporters staged rallies carrying black flags, placards, and banners calling for an end to Indian occupation. The protestors said the demonstrations aimed to break the international silence over human rights abuses in IIOJK and press for a United Nations-supervised plebiscite. Pakistan's political leadership also marked the day with statements reaffirming solidarity with the Kashmiri people. The annual Black Day observance dates back to October 27, 1947 - the day Indian troops entered the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir following its illegal accession to India.
Express Tribune
5 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Rekindling trust
In a world where alliances are increasingly transactional, the counterterrorism partnership between Pakistan and the United States remains an evolving, if at times uneasy, example of strategic necessity. Whereas public discourse is usually preoccupied with episodes of tension (drone attacks, trust gaps and changing regional priorities), the cooperation, particularly in recent years, has become increasingly professional, mature and outcome-oriented. With old threats being replaced by new ones, the US-Pakistan counterterrorism (CT) cooperation is important not only to South Asian stability, but to world security architecture as well. A recent example of this longstanding collaboration was the January 2025 joint operation that resulted in the arrest of Sharifullah, the ISIS-K mastermind of the lethal August 2021 Kabul airport bombing. Not the arrest but the manner in which it was done was important. The Pakistani intelligence services, working in close liaison with their US counterparts, monitored then captured a high-value target without incurring political blowback and without leaking the operation. This achievement, which was celebrated by the US Department of Justice, was not so much about symbolism but rather competency, coordination and trust. And this trust seems to be on an upward curve. Centcom Commander Gen Michael Kurilla, who has retired recently, praised Pakistan as a "phenomenal partner" in the war against ISIS-K in July 2025, and was himself honoured with the Nishan-e-Imtiaz, the highest military award of Pakistan. This act, however ceremonial, amounts to a conscious resetting of relations — a shift in the mode of suspicion to a mode of common strategic outlook. But what has changed? To begin with, the two countries have apparently adjusted expectations. The pre-9/11 doctrine of "with us or against us" that previously put a strain on bilateral relations has been replaced by a more realistic, decentralised system of collaboration. Examples of this change include institutions such as the National Intelligence Fusion & Threat Assessment Centre (NIFTAC), in Pakistan, which is a locally based response that is integrated with international cooperation, especially with the American and allied intelligence organisations. Second, terrorism as such has evolved. The recurrence of Taliban in power in Afghanistan has formed new security gaps, and these gaps are easily taken advantage of by groups such as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and ISIS-K. They are not local actors only but transnational ones that recruit and fund globally. That is why the US not only requires Pakistan as a geographic ally but also as an operational one. Drones cannot do away with ideological insurgencies, they require boots on the ground, informants on the field and information provided by local agencies. Of course, the road ahead is not without bumps. The perennial issue of strategic mistrust, particularly when it comes to Afghanistan and regional power dynamics with India and China, will always shadow Pak-US ties. Moreover, Pakistan faces internal political instability and resurging domestic militancy, which can dilute the focus of its CT machinery. But to let these obstacles overshadow progress would be short-sighted. It is also crucial that this partnership does not become overly securitised. Counterterrorism cooperation should be complemented by economic and developmental collaboration, particularly in Pakistan's tribal and border regions. Ultimately, Pak-US CT cooperation is not a vestige of a long forgotten war-on-terrorism; it's a living, breathing necessity shaped by evolving threats and mutual dependencies. If 2025 is any indicator, it seems both sides have begun to move past suspicion and toward strategic maturity. For a world teetering on new fronts of asymmetric warfare, it's not just reassuring — it's essential.
Business Recorder
11 hours ago
- Business Recorder
SBP issues Rs75 commemorative coin to celebrate Marka-e-Haq, Independence Day
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) issued on Friday a commemorative coin of Rs75 to celebrate Marka-e-Haq - a military campaign against India in May - and the country's Independence Day. 'To honor the valor of our armed forces during the Marka-e-Haq and to celebrate Independence Day with due dignity, the federal government is pleased to issue a commemorative coin of Rs75 denomination,' SBP statement read. How Pakistan shot down India's cutting-edge fighter using Chinese gear Marka-e-Haq is the official name given to the broader conflict with India from July 22 to May 10 this year, while Bunyanum Marsoos is the name given to the operation on May 10. The metal composition, shape, and dimensions of the coin are: Metal composition: Nickel-Brass, Cu 79%, Zn 20% & Ni 1% Dimension: 30.0 mm Weight: 13.5 grams Obverse On the obverse side of the coin, the waxing crescent moon and five-pointed star facing North-West in rising position is in the center. Alongwith periphery on the top of the crescent star is inscribed in wording 'ISLAMI JAMHURIA PAKISTAN' in Urdu script. Below the crescent and on the top of two springs of wheat with arms curved upward, there is the year of issuance 2025. The face value of coin in numeral '75' in bold letters and RUPIA in Urdu script are written on the right and left sides of the crescent star respectively, according to the SBP statement. Reverse On the reverse side of the coin, wordings 'MARKA-E-HAQ' in Urdu script and '2025' in numeral are inscribed in the center. The wordings 'PAKISTAN HAMESHA ZINDABAD' in Urdu script is written alongwith the periphery on the top side of the coin. Two Fighter Aircrafts (shown on right & left sides of the coin), one Naval Ship and one Multiple Rocket Launcher System (MRLS) are shown on the reverse side of the coin. 'The coin shall be issued through the exchange counters of all the field offices of SBP Banking Services Corporation from August 15, 2025,' the central bank said.
