Maryam's uniform spectacle stirs controversy

Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz made headlines as she strutted in a police uniform at a passing-out ceremony for lady constables in Lahore's Police Training College on Thursday – a move that ignited a whirlwind of controversy and split opinions. While the government painted the move as a gesture to uplift police spirits, critics smelled a rat, decrying it as mere showboating and questioning the legality of a civilian sporting police attire. The gesture, perceived by many as going the extra mile, from the head of the province did not sit well with netizens either, who were left scratching their heads, trying to understand the motives behind the spectacle. The government's stance emphasized that the CM's donning of the police uniform aimed to boost the morale of the police personnel. However, political adversaries of Maryam Nawaz also chimed in, raising legal queries regarding the propriety of a civilian wearing a uniform. Meanwhile, the police wasted no time in leaping to the defense of their boss. A notification dated January 30 surfaced, revealing a relaxation in police regulations, granting permission for the governor of Punjab and the chief minister of Punjab to don police uniforms on specific occasions, all in the name of boosting the morale of the police force and troops. However, the date of this notification remained shrouded in mystery as it had not seen the light of day until Thursday, raising eyebrows among the public. Many suspected a cover-up by the police to shield the government from criticism and to cast Maryam Nawaz's decision in a favorable light. Adding a touch of irony to the situation, the notification was issued by the inspector general of Punjab, a subordinate officer, extending a certain privilege to his superiors regardless of protocol. Interestingly former senior cabinet member of the outgoing caretaker government denied knowledge of any such notification claiming that why would they get such a notification issued, they had no intention of appeasing people in such an overly dramatic fashion. Interestingly, a former senior cabinet member of the outgoing caretaker government brushed off any awareness of such a notification, questioning the rationale behind its issuance, stating they harbored no intention of pandering to the people in such a dramatic manner. He stated that for the assertion that this notification was issued during their tenure, there must have been a justification, and the Inspector General (IG) should clarify why it was requested from them. “Can the IG of Punjab be permitted to don the attire of a general?” He questioned why this government was so desperate for good optics, adding that it was beneath the chief minister to engage in such puerile. Interestingly, the IG Punjab was seen engaging with a few companions, who jokingly remarked about the perceived threat to his IG status. According to an attendee, the IG brushed off the banter, stating that it was nothing out of the ordinary, as any senior government officer and official could do it on special occasions. The person added that, according to the IG, the purpose of the notification was to quell the criticism from PTI workers who had caused an online frenzy, raising doubts about the legality of the situation. The IG of Punjab also referred to the fact, as per the same source, that PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif himself had worn a police uniform during his time as a minister. The idea of wearing a uniform may have been inspired by her father, but factually, this assertion is incorrect. Nawaz had indeed worn a uniform of the civil defense, which bears a resemblance to the previous police uniform; however, it's important to note that it wasn't specifically a police uniform. Moreover, numerous police officers went as far as setting Maryam Nawaz's picture in a police uniform as their profile photo on social networking platforms, a move that can hardly be deemed voluntary. Later in the day, a lawyer took the matter to the Lahore High Court, filing a petition against Maryam Nawaz for wearing a uniform without, what he termed as lawful authorization, and demanded the filing of an FIR against her. Former caretaker CM of Punjab and senior political analyst, Hasan Askari, expressed his disapproval, stating that this wasn't a mere fancy-dress affair. He emphasized that Maryam Nawaz should uphold the dignity of her high office instead of stooping to such levels. According to him, wearing a police uniform as an executive head is akin to belittling one's own office. Hasan said that no CM has ever acted in this manner in the history of the country. He asserted that there is no foreseeable upside to these gimmicks.FIR sought against Maryam. Meanwhile, in a related development, a sessions court in Lahore sought a response from the higher-ups of the police force in the province regarding a complaint lodged against Maryam Nawaz Sharif for wearing a police uniform at the passing-out ceremony in the provincial metropolis and seeking the registration of an FIR. Additional District and Sessions Judge Muzaffar Nawaz Malik presided over the hearing of the complaint, which had been filed by Advocate Aftab Bajwa. In the petition, the petitioner argued that according to the law, no individual was permitted to wear the uniform of state institutions. He maintained that despite requesting the Punjab police to take action against Maryam for wearing the uniform, no measures were taken. He urged the court to issue orders for the initiation of a case against Maryam for wearing the police uniform.

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