Punjab govt gets notice over Rs400m flag project

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has asked the Punjab government to explain why it is spending Rs400 million on making a giant flag to mark Independence Day on August 14.

The LHC issued a notice to the caretaker government on Tuesday, on a petition filed by Aamir Sikander, a citizen who has challenged the legality and rationality of the expenditure.

The petitioner’s lawyer, Zeshan Gilani, told Urdu News that Pakistan was facing a financial crisis and could not afford to waste public funds on such a lavish display of patriotism.

“Pakistan is currently facing a financial crisis, and the economic situation of the country is not stable,” he said.

Aug 14 last day of govt: PM

“The prices of petrol and electricity are skyrocketing and in such a situation, any action that involves extravagant use of national funds is unacceptable.”

He said his client had no objection to hoisting the flag itself, but only to the misuse of government powers and money.

“My children will also participate in flag hoisting on August 14. Our only objection is to the misuse of government powers and such a huge amount of money, which a poor country like Pakistan cannot afford,” he said.

The flag, which will be hoisted at Liberty Chowk in Lahore on a 500-foot-high pole, is expected to be the tallest in the city.

A senior official of the Lahore district government, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Urdu News that the district government had released funds for the flag after obtaining estimates from various companies.

However, the Lahore commissioner’s spokesperson declined to comment on the matter but did not deny the news.

It is not clear which company has been awarded the contract for the flag making and hoisting and how the selection process was conducted.

The petitioner has referred to various news reports in his petition.

The LHC, headed by Justice Rahil Kamran, has sought all information from the government and has set August 4 as the date for the hearing of the case.

Mohsin Naqv’s take on the flag issue

Earlier, Punjab’s caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi told the media in Lahore that the flag would be a symbol of national pride and unity.

Pakistan celebrates its Independence Day on August 14 every year to mark its creation as a separate state for Muslims after the end of British colonial rule in 1947.