In one of the most bizarre acts, the Balochistan government has issued a notification asking senior officials of the province to set ‘Pakistan Zindabad' as ring-back tone (also known as caller tone) on their cellphones, Samaa Tv reported.
The notification, issued by Balochistan's Services and General Administration Department, said that the rule applies on administrative secretaries, additional secretaries and deputy secretaries as well as the head of all the government departments.
The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by the Balochistan chief secretary. The divisional and deputy commissioners have also been notified. The notification details how to set the caller tone for all the mobile carriers.
'Pakistan Zindabad' is a song by singer/music director Sahir Ali Bagga. The song was produced in collaboration with the Inter Services Public Relations and was released on ISPR's YouTube channel on March 23, 2019.
While the notification does not specify a reason for the move, it explains the procedure for changing the ringback tones for officials using different mobile networks, the Dawn reported.
The move, meanwhile, has raised eyebrows among social media users who expressed surprise at the government's directive.
"Why aren't we sure that Baloch brothers are more patriotic than us," journalist Mubashir Zaidi questioned, the Dawn reported.Another journalist, Mohammad Taqi, asked in a veiled criticism: "What else does a colony look like?"
The secretaries of all departments, additional secretaries, deputy secretaries and heads of other departments concerned are required to strictly abide by the decision. The additional secretaries have also been directed to ensure their subordinates also apply the same ringback tones on their mobile phone numbers, the report said.
The order states: "The Government of Balochistan, Science and Information Technology Department, has conveyed that in pursuance to the decision made in the meeting held under the Chairmanship of worthy Chief Secretary, for setting of mobile Ring-Back Tone 'Pakistan Zindabad' by Administrative Secretaries, Additional Secretaries and Deputy Secretaries and head of attached Departments on their cell/contact numbers."
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