ISLAMABAD: Despite the directives of the Prime Minister Office, billboards of illegal betting advertisements in Punjab could not be removed.
According to official sources, the Prime Minister had instructed the Punjab government, through the chief secretary, to remove all such advertisements immediately after taking notice of similar promotional material in the federal capital.
However, no visible action has been taken in Punjab so far, and betting-related billboards remain on display in Lahore and other major cities. When contacted the concerned authorities of Punjab Information Ministry for comments by The News, did not get any response despite repeated attempts to seek clarification on the government’s position.
The federal government’s intervention came after The News published a report on Friday titled “Betting billboard’s arrival in Islamabad”, which highlighted the appearance of promotional campaigns for surrogate betting companies in the capital despite an official ban. The report triggered swift action from the Prime Minister’s Office, leading to the removal of one such advertisement located along the road to the New Islamabad International Airport.
Sources indicate that the Prime Minister’s Office expects the Punjab administration to follow through on its commitment to uphold the government’s “zero tolerance” policy towards gambling and betting promotions. So far, however, there has been no indication of immediate provincial action.
