Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has issued stern executive reprimands to top bureaucratic circles, expressing deep displeasure over a lavish, high-protocol display by senior civil servants during a recent public function. The Prime Minister’s Office formally initiated a severe inquiry into the incident, which has been widely criticized across print, electronic, and social media platforms as the Buggy Drama.
The prime minister reiterated that during a period of intense national economic challenges, any display of colonial-era pomp or self-projection by public servants is unacceptable and runs contrary to the government’s mandatory austerity drive.
Executive Reaction to the VVIP Protocol Display
The immediate trigger for the prime minister’s intervention was a viral video featuring the Chief Commissioner of Islamabad, Muhammad Suhail Rajput, and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad, Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi. The two Grade-21 officers were filmed arriving at an official state event in a highly decorated, horse-drawn royal carriage (buggy), with a protocol staff member standing behind them holding an umbrella to shield them from the sun.
Following public outrage over the lavish entry, the Establishment Division issued a strict administrative directive to all federal secretaries, provincial departments, and heads of autonomous bodies. The official circular highlights several systemic breaches of the public servant code of conduct:
Rejection of Self-Projection: Civil servants must abstain from using public funds or state events for personal showmanship or constructing a privileged social elite persona.
Erosion of Public Trust: Lavish protocol displays alienated citizens who are navigating economic inflation, thereby undermining public institutional trust.
Demand for Humility: Public offices are temporary trusts, meaning administrative managers must demonstrate visible humility, integrity, and ethical judgment in all public dealings.
Interior Minister’s Clarification and the Government Stance
As public pressure mounted over the protocol lapse, Federal Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi issued a clarifying statement. Naqvi explained that the horse-drawn carriage had originally been arranged to transport the chief guest of the ceremony. Due to an unexpected delay in the chief guest’s arrival, the on-ground managers directed the senior officers to initiate the proceedings using the buggy to prevent a lengthy manual delay.
Despite these explanations from the district management team, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif rejected the administrative excuses. He firmly stated that public officials should never participate in optics that project an image of elitist superiority over the common citizen. Social media users also contrasted the display with a visiting foreign dignitary who was seen handling his own luggage at Islamabad International Airport without any protocol staff.
Enforcement of New Austerity Manuals Across All Ministries
Following the incident, the federal cabinet approved immediate structural modifications to the operational manuals governing state ceremonies and public events. Under the updated regulations, no civil servant—regardless of rank or pay scale—is permitted to utilize traditional buggies, unnecessary security convoys, or specialized manual protocol services during official functions.
The Establishment Division has been ordered to deploy real-time monitoring to track compliance, and any future violations will lead to direct disciplinary action under civil service laws.
