‘Smear’ campaign: PTI leaders slam anti-Imran TV campaign

The paid content being run on major TV channels shows clippings of fiery speeches by Imran Khan and Sheikh Rashid

LAHORE:

Several Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leaders lashed out on Sunday at what they called an ‘anti-Imran Khan’ TV campaign being aired on TV news channels since Saturday evening ahead of the party’s rally in Islamabad.

The paid content being run on major TV channels showed clippings of fiery speeches by the PTI chairman and Awami Mulsim League Sheikh Rashid with a voice-over questioning the legitimacy of their claims.

The PTI leaders demanded that authorities explain who had been funding the ads.

“The ads reflect how scared the government is of the Sunday’s rally,” Punjab president Ejaz Chaudhry said.

“Taxpayers money is being spent for political gain. Running the ads before the rally was meant to hamper the PTI show. This will not stop people from coming to Islamabad,” he said.

Punjab information secretary Andleeb Abbas said there were several government institutions where Khan’s claims could be investigated.

“Advertisements were aired a day before the rally. What they don’t realise is that our workers are very passionate about our cause,” MPA Aslam Iqbal said. Iqbal called the ads a cheap tactic. MPA Murad Raas too questioned the funding of the TV campaign.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 1^st, 2014.