ISLAMABAD – The incompetence and lack of professional understanding of the prime minister’s media managers brought him yet another embarrassment by mixing up the dates of PPP founder Zulfikar Bhutto’s death anniversary with the reception for the national cricket team. The PM’s staff fixed April 4 for hosting PM Yousaf Raza Gilani’s reception for the cricket team that was defeated by India in the cricket world cup semi final. A press release was issued to the media at noon, saying Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani had invited the cricket team at the PM’s House on April 4. But around two hours later, it was announced that the scheduled meeting had been postponed as the death anniversary of ZA Bhutto fell on the same date.
The press release said the next date of the reception would be announced later. Earlier, the prime minister’s media managers had issued a greetings message to Bangladesh on its National Day on the behalf of the prime minister, calling it the country’s “Independence Day”. The blunder, which may have damaged diplomatic ties of both friendly nations, was committed on March 25.
