PDM govt outpaced PTI in media ads despite economic crisis

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Democratic Movement-led federal government and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting outpaced the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in advertising expenditures, as per an official document from the Press Information Department (PID).

The PDM government allocated more than Rs9.61 billion for media advertisements, including ads from the Ministry of Information and the federal government and its affiliated institutions during its 16 months tenure in office.

The PTI government spent Rs8.800 billion on media (TV and print) ads from Aug 2018 to Mar 2022

According to the document available with the Hum Investigation Team (HIT), the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting allocated Rs6.13 billion for media advertisements, whereas the federal government and its affiliated institutions spent Rs3.47 billion.

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Further analysis of the document indicates that electronic media received more than Rs4.79 billion in advertisements, with Rs3.71 billion coming from the Ministry of Information and over Rs1 billion from the federal government and its institutions.

Print media garnered over Rs3.5 billion in advertisements, including Rs1.21 billion from the Ministry of Information and Rs2.28 billion from the federal government and its affiliated institutions.

Additionally, digital media secured over Rs1.23 billion in advertisements, with Rs1.13 billion coming from the Ministry of Information and over Rs100 million from the federal government and its affiliated institutions.

Remarkably, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting alone allocated Rs730 million for outdoor advertising (billboards).