PM admonishes commissioner, IGP over display of ‘pomp and show’

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken a serious exception to the display of “pomp and show” and “personal aggrandisement” by the top city managers during the Independence Day parade in Islamabad, directing them to ensure that such conduct does not recur.

In a formal advisory, Establishment Division Joint Secretary (Discipline) Syeda Shafaq Hashmi conveyed the Prime Minister’s displeasure to Islamabad Inspector General of Police Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi and Chief Commissioner Sohail Ashraf over their appearance in a ceremonial horse-drawn buggy during the August 14 celebrations.

The advisory, addressed separately to the IGP and CDA chairman, said the prime minister had taken a “very serious view” of the incident at the official function held on August 14, when the two senior officials rode in a ceremonial horse-drawn buggy, attracting widespread public criticism.

According to the document, the prime minister expressed “deep disappointment and displeasure” at the display of pomp and show, observing that it projected an image of “privilege, ostentation and personal aggrandisement” that was at odds with the ethos of public service.

Both turned up at Independence Day event in buggy

The prime minister stressed that civil servants and public functionaries should demonstrate humility, restraint, dignity and sound judgment at all times. Such conduct, he observed, undermined public confidence in public institutions and was inconsistent with the standards expected of senior civil servants and government officials.

The advisory further reminded the officials that, as administrators of the federal capital, they were expected to uphold the highest standards of propriety, conduct and responsible governance.

“You are advised to be careful in the performance of your duties, and ensure that such conduct should not recur,” the advisory stated, adding that it should be treated as an instruction for “strict compliance in letter and spirit”.

The prime minister’s reprimand comes days after a video of the two officials riding into the Independence Day parade in what appeared to be the presidential buggy went viral on social media.

The footage showed Mr Rizvi and Mr Ashraf arriving in the horse carriage while the gathering was apparently prompted to applaud. However, no applause could be heard in the widely circulated clip. The spectacle drew criticism online, with some users describing it as reminiscent of a colonial-era display of authority and privilege.

The episode, however, received a different interpretation from Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who defended the two officials.

In a statement on X, Mr Naqvi said the officials were not at fault, explaining that the chief guest and he had been delayed due to a meeting between the president and prime minister. As the public had been waiting since 5pm, he said, the officials were instructed to commence the programme around 6pm rather than keep the crowd waiting.

According to the minister, the horse carriage had originally been arranged for the chief guest but had to be used by the officers because of “unavoidable circumstances”. He said both officials had initially resisted starting the programme in the absence of the chief guest and the minister but proceeded only after being specifically instructed to do so for the convenience of the public.

Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2026