Chowrangi

Social media is on a high these days after launching “GO Green Rally“ by Pakistanis to show unity and celebrate Independence Day. Pakistanis are turning their online avatars or display images green with flags. It has been reported by Dawn as the “Green Revolution”. The celebrations did turn into mourning after Gojra incident though but on the whole people are responding to the campaign of green with enthusiasm.

Unlike the Green Revolution where people are proudly adding the national flag to their own pictures, following video of various government department reveals the humiliation of National flag which are flaunting over them. The flags are in poor condition and it has been called as A Slap on Green revolution by many.

The use of the national flag is regulated by the Pakistan Flag Rules, which were introduced in 2002 by Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali. The Rules are not available online but there have been instances of misuse such as officials using flags on their vehicles when they are not entitled to do so. The national flag is flown on the official residences and vehicles (cars, boats, planes) of many officials from prime minister to commissioners. Source ‘Wikipedia’

In February 2006 Interior ministry released a notification saying;

“The flag should be flown on all public and private buildings throughout the country on Pakistan Day (March 23), Independence Day (August 14), Quaid-e-Azam birthday (December 25) and such other days as notified by the government. The national flag should be flown on all working days on the government buildings, it says. Only the President, Prime Minister, Chairman Senate, Speaker of National and Provincial Assemblies, Chief Justice of Pakistan, Governors and Chief Ministers of the provinces, Federal Ministers and Ministers of State, Chief Election Commissioner and Provincial Ministers are entitled to fly the flag on their motor cars, vessels and aeroplane when they themselves are seated in”

Other posts by Hina Safdar

• PCB Crackdown on Former Captains post Aussie Tour - March 10th, 2010
• More than 80,000 cell phones snatched last year in Pakistan - March 6th, 2010
• Farmville another reason to be on facebook - March 4th, 2010
• Pemra wants to hear it from you - March 3rd, 2010
• Basant and the Kite Plight- To be or not to be - February 22nd, 2010
• Happy Anniversary to our beloved Democracy - February 18th, 2010
• Google Buzz: Is Google Social Networking Tool A Twitter Killer? - February 12th, 2010
• Should Late Night Call Packages be banned? - February 4th, 2010
• Why Afridi Bites the Ball? - February 1st, 2010
• Naveed Asif - The Real Hero - January 31st, 2010