Mubashir Luqman versus PML-N showdown begins!

A showdown has begun between the Punjab government and the renowned TV host Mubashir Luqman over the distribution of laptops that is taking place in the province. Luqman, who revealed multiple discrepancies in the laptop distribution in a show, filed a writ petition in Lahore High Court against alleged embezzlement in the procurement and unlawful distribution of laptops by the Punjab government. Luqman pleaded that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz was misusing public money of Punjab government for its political purpose and the policy of merit had been violated in the laptop scheme. He alleged that the laptops had been distributed among the workers of Muslim Student Federation that was the secondary organisation of PML-N. The application, which was filed under the article 199 of the constitution, stated that purchase process of these laptops computers was not transparent since they had been procured without a tender which was open violation of Public Procurement Rules 2004. Luqman alleged that the contract was given to a firm Enex Technologies which was the subsidiary company of a business group Dawar Group of Karachi, adding that the Transparency International had also objected the purchase of laptops. He alleged that the laptops were purchased 70 percent in excess of the original market value of the machine and they had no warranty period. The application said the laptops also had fake software, which was objectionable on international level. It further stated that the computers were distributed by PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Safdar, who had nothing to do with the Punjab government. The applicant pleaded the court to take all the record of the scheme into custody and declare it illegitimate. Separately, the Punjab government decided to sue Luqman over his programme on the laptop scheme. According to an official handout, Nawaz and chief minister had asked the Special Assistant on Education to chief minister Zaeem Qadri to send a legal notice to Luqman. The legal notice was sent for damages of Rs1 billion to Luqman for levelling allegations in a programme against the scheme without any proof. Qadri said Lucman had levelled baseless, unfounded and misleading allegations against the transparent procedure of the distribution programme, and did not bother to take the Punjab government’s point of view, which he said was against journalistic values.