Islamabad residents irked by PPP flags on streets, poles?

[Naveed Yaseen]

Mobarik A Virk
The latest bid by some zealots of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) to win greater popularity among the masses through an unprecedented display of party flags on blue-area boulevard and other key roads of the city has back-fired as residents are openly griping against this forced display of party power in the capital.

Even more irksome is the fact that all this display, which is continuing for the past over three months now, is in stark violation of the laid down rules and regulations of the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

According to informed insiders, this communist style painting of a city in party colours, is brainchild of the overzealous PPP Senator, Reza Abidi, a close friend of top officials, who initially approached CDA with the request (more of an order in fact) to get permission for hanging the tri-colour PPP flags to observe the birth anniversary of the late chairperson of the party, Ms Benazir Bhutto. And of course anyone in CDA could only decline this ‘request’ to his personal and professional peril.

The recently placed ban on any such hoistings etc were reportedly put in abeyance for a ‘one time permission’ and a permission was granted for the flags to be displayed for a period of seven days only. And this by the way was over three months back and the flags are fluttering pretty as ever.

Furthermore, the ‘client’, in this case Senator Faisal Reza Abidi, should have deposited the prescribed fee for display of these party flags which is Rs60 per flag for three days. A rough calculation indicates that in this particular case Senator Faisal Reza Abidi already owes the CDA a reasonable amount of money under this rental head. But heck, whose counting here.

A source in the CDA, on the understandable condition of anonymity, said that no money has been paid by any party or person for this display of PPP flags on the highways and avenues of the federal capital. “You understand that we can hardly ask them to pay money, or to remove them because that would mean our removal from service even” he added meekly.

On irritated citizen, Rizwan Beg, said to The News, “What exactly these PPP people want to establish through such unflattering display of these flags. Are they afraid that people might forget as to what was the colour of the party flag? Or, are they afraid that people may not remember as to who rules this city!”.

When asked from the concerned sources in the CDA as to what would their position be if other political parties also decided to display their party flags on the avenues, highways and roads of the federal capital, they said that they could hardly deny them the same but “of course you know what would actually happen”.

ISLAMABAD: PPP flags on poles along Faisal Avenue. — Naveed Akram