A petition has been filed in the Lahore High Court challenging the display of Chief Minister of Punjab Maryam Nawaz’s photographs on newly introduced electric buses. The petition alleges that her image placement constitutes personal advertising using public resources, raising concerns about the misuse of taxpayer funds.
Justice Farooq Haider, during the court hearing, requested responses from the Chief Secretary of Punjab and the Director-General of Public Relations (DGPR) regarding the matter. The petition was filed by Ahmad Khan, the opposition leader of the Punjab Assembly, through his lawyer, who argued that public funds were used to purchase the buses, and that the subsequent use of these buses for personal promotion is a violation of public trust.
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The petitioners cited a previous ruling by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, which restricts personal promotion using public funds, and requested the court to take contempt action against those involved. Additionally, they called for the removal of the promotional material and recovery of the expenses incurred.
The controversy arises amid the Punjab government’s unveiling of a new trackless electric bus system, part of its eco-friendly public transport initiative. The Automated Rapid Transit (ART) system, set to operate in several cities including Lahore, Faisalabad, and Gujranwala, aims to modernize the region’s transit infrastructure with solar-powered, fast-charging buses.
