LAHORE:
Pakistan Tehreek-E-Insaf (PTI) has abruptly criticized the decision of the Punjab government to assign RS730 million for the purchase of bulletproof vehicles, qualifying it as an extravagant spending symbol in the midst of economic conditions that worsen for the general public.
In a statement, the head of PiT Punjab media cells, Shayan Bashir, condemned the movement as “a flagrant sample of anti-person governance.” He said that government priorities are misaligned with the needs of the population, facing scarcity criticism of affordable flour, electricity and medicine.
Bashir stressed that more than 35 million people in Punjab live below the poverty line and a 15% tax on medicines have further restricted access to medical care.
He pointed out the alarming maternal mortality rates (165 deaths per 100,000 births, as well as the increase in costs in the agricultural sector, with the farmers who deal with a 25% increase in fertilizer prices, higher water invoices and low wheat yields.
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“Unemployment has crossed 7.5%, however, the Government continues to spend luxuriously in itself in place of addressing the basic needs of people,” said Bashir, adding that many communities still lack clean drinking water and sufficient foods.
He also recalled a previous approval of RS7.5 billion for the acquisition of luxury vehicles, alleging a continuous lack of transparency of the Punjab Finance Department. On July 7, Bashir submitted a formal request for records related to the purchase and use of vehicles. In his response, the department denied responsibility and sent the matter to other government agencies.
“This response reflects a dangerous administrative incompetence or a deeply rooted corruption scandal,” he said. He accused the department of violation of the right of access to the 2017 Information Law, which forces public institutions to disseminate such information.
Bashir also criticized Prime Minister Maryam Nawaz, accusing his administration of masking systemic corruption with populist rhetoric. “This is undeniable evidence of administrative dishonesty,” he said. He averaged that PTI Punjab would seek legal and constitutional ways, as well as public protest, to challenge what he called “exploiting governance.”
