Fact Check: Truth Behind PM Shahbaz Sharif’s Alleged Rs 70M Pool Expenses
Islamabad: Social media buzzed with claims when Imran Ismail, former Governor Sindh and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader, tweeted on May 17, 2022, alleging that Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif had spent a staggering Rs. 70.5 million on repairing the swimming pool at the Prime Minister House during his tenure.
شہبازکی شوبازیاں صرف اپنی عیاشیوں اور نوازشات تک محدود ہیں حکومت میں آئےایک مہینہ نہیں ہواساڑھے7کروڑ کی رقم سے وزیراعظم ہاؤس کاسوئمنگ پول مرمت کروالیا ملک دیوالیہ ہونے کےقریب اورمعیشت کا بیڑہ غرق کرکے عوام کو اضطراب میں مبتلاکرکےامپورٹڈ بمعہ خاندان عوام کےپیسوں پرعیاشیاں کررہےہیں pic.twitter.com/zAfSvus9j9
— Imran Ismail (@ImranIsmailPTI) May 17, 2022
The statement was soon endorsed by journalist and former anchorperson Imran Riaz Khan in a vlog, amplifying the allegation.
To unravel the truth, investigative journalists from Team “The Reporters” submitted an information request under the Right to Information Act, seeking detailed records of expenditures on the Prime Minister House, specifically focusing on the swimming pool repairs.
The documents received from the Prime Minister Office confirmed that repairs were indeed carried out during Shahbaz Sharif’s tenure. However, the figures claimed by Ismail and Riaz Khan were found to be exaggerated. The verified expenditure stood at Rs. 19,412,397, much lower than the alleged Rs. 70.5 million.
The repair work was executed following standard procedures. A tender was advertised in newspapers by the Pakistan Public Works Department, and after competitive bidding, the contract was awarded to a private firm, Saleem Engineering & Co.
It’s noteworthy that no funds were spent on the swimming pool’s maintenance during the tenure of former Prime Minister Imran Khan or the caretaker Prime Minister Anwar Ul Haq Kakar.
This fact-check highlights the importance of verifying claims before amplifying them in the public domain. Misinformation can mislead audiences and create unwarranted controversies, underscoring the critical role of accountability and transparency in journalism.
