Another stint in austerity: President runs ‘publicity campaign’ at airport clearance

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President Arif Alvi left for Turkey from Islamabad airport on a three-day visit on Sunday. However, he has faced criticism for VIP protocol at the airport as a security entourage followed him during his departure, and cameramen filmed him at the security clearance.

Former interior minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ahsan Iqbal mocked the unnecessary publicity by saying: “Naya Pakistan – by camera, of camera and for camera.”

Journalist and media consultant Omar Quraishi tweeted: What’s the point of a VVIP acting like an ordinary person in a public place if you don’t film it all and show everyone that he’s acting like an ordinary person?

“Sadr-e-Pakistan Turkey kay dauray say qabal Islamabad airport pay aam musafiron ki tarah nazar aatay huaye. (Please ignore his security and protocol entourage),” he added.

Another user wrote: “Hmmm. And I can see many ‘ordinary passengers’ in suits guarding our president in nearly every frame.”

A user, Samar Nadeem wrote she felt incredulous that a traveller was being filmed at every step of the check-in process.

Pakistan Media Watch wrote: “President of Pakistan running his own publicity campaign through dedicated media team. After being criticised for  going around with VIP security entourage, here he is trying to show he went through security without protocol but media team failed to edit out large entourage.”

Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s son Haider Abbasi wrote: “This is just embarrassing. Orchestrated and shameless self-promotion.”

However, some users thought that the president’s security cannot be compromised on.

“These are security protocols for the President and PM, and standard practice. Even if they don’t want it, security will still do its job.”

 

A user wrote that this display of austerity by a top office-bearer was “morale-boosting for an ordinary person”.