By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar on Friday assured the Senate that an investigation would be launched into the release of an official Independence Day advertisement that omitted a portrait of the country’s founder, Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, prompting sharp criticism from political and social circles.
“It is not in our notice. If it has happened, this is heart-afflicting for all,” Tarar told the upper house of parliament, responding to concerns raised during a session marking Pakistan’s Independence Day.
He pledged that an inquiry would be conducted to determine how the oversight occurred, with the Senate to be formally updated on the findings.
The advertisement, issued by the Ministry of Information and published in major national newspapers and broadcast on television channels, featured images of President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza, as well as the chiefs of the navy and air force. It also included images of tanks, aircraft, and a depiction of Pakistan’s cultural diversity.
However, the absence of portraits of Jinnah and national poet-philosopher Allama Iqbal sparked widespread backlash. The issue was raised by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Faisal Javed in his maiden speech following his reelection.
Speaking after the Senate unanimously adopted a resolution reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to sovereignty, democratic values, and a prosperous future, Javed accused the government of using public funds for self-promotion. “They even put their photographs on newly built public toilets,” he remarked, criticising the ruling elite for what he called misuse of taxpayer money.
Javed also accused the government of awarding civil honours on political grounds, thereby undermining their prestige. “This is the insult of the people who truly deserved receiving these,” he said.
Defending the awards, Tarar, a recipient of the Nishan-i-Imtiaz, clarified that only about 15 of the roughly 200 awardees were politicians, all from the ruling coalition. He explained that eight were members of a team led by Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari that conducted diplomatic missions during heightened tensions with India, while others were part of a “war cabinet” formed by Prime Minister Sharif to manage emergency decisions during the conflict.
The Senate debate highlighted growing tensions between the government and opposition, with the omission of Quaid-e-Azam’s image striking a particularly sensitive chord. The founder’s legacy remains a cornerstone of Pakistan’s national identity, and any perceived slight risks fueling public discontent.
Copyright © 2021 Independent Pakistan | All rights reserved
