"Imran Khan is a vitriolic, power hungry political beast out to do all he can in pursuance of his goals, including undermining the parliament, sabotaging the economy and even destroying Pakistan if that's what it takes! Please, be wary of him!"

So goes the crux of the message of a slew of advertisements blanketing most current affairs TV channels for the past two weeks.

The backdrop is a war of words between Imran Khan & Co and Nawaz Sharif & Co; transforming into a war of barbs and insults first through angry finger-wagging atop containers and frothy-mouthed counter-press conferences, and now seeping – as a political one-up on the former by the latter – onto TV screens lit up in our homes.