PM Rebukes Islamabad’s Top Officials Over Buggy Ride
Establishment Division advisories tell Islamabad Police chief Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi and Chief Commissioner Sohail Ashraf to exercise restraint and ensure such conduct is not repeated, saying the episode projected an image of privilege inconsistent with public-service values.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed strong displeasure over the appearance of Islamabad’s two top officials in a ceremonial horse-drawn buggy during an Independence Day function, with the Establishment Division formally advising them to ensure such conduct is not repeated.
Establishment Division Issues Advisories
Separate advisories dated August 17, 2026, and addressed to Islamabad Inspector General of Police Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi and Chief Commissioner Islamabad Lt (Retd) Sohail Ashraf state that the prime minister had taken a “very serious view” of the incident at the August 14 official function.
According to the letters reviewed by Islamabad Tribune, the Chief Commissioner and Inspector General of Islamabad Capital Territory rode to the event in a ceremonial horse-drawn buggy, an episode that subsequently attracted widespread public criticism.
PM Objects to “Pomp and Show”
The Establishment Division said the prime minister expressed disappointment and displeasure at what the correspondence described as a display of “pomp and show.”
The letters said the episode projected an image of privilege, ostentation and personal aggrandisement that was at odds with the ethos of public service.
The advisories stressed that civil servants and public functionaries hold public office in trust for the people and are expected to demonstrate humility, restraint, dignity and sound judgment.
According to the Establishment Division, conduct of this nature can undermine public confidence in state institutions and is inconsistent with the standards expected of senior civil servants and government functionaries.
Officials Told to Avoid Repeat
In the separate letters, the government also highlighted the senior positions held by the two officials.
The advisory to the Islamabad police chief said the public and government expected the highest standards of propriety, conduct and responsible governance from the Police Chief of the nation’s capital.
Similar expectations were underlined for the Chief Commissioner as the administrative head of Islamabad.
Both officials were advised to exercise care in the performance of their duties and ensure that such conduct does not recur. The correspondence said the advisory should be observed in “letter and spirit.”
Naqvi Had Earlier Defended Officials
The controversy erupted after images and videos showing the two officials travelling in the ceremonial buggy during Independence Day celebrations circulated on social media.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had earlier defended both officials, saying the buggy had originally been arranged for the chief guest and that neither the IG nor the Chief Commissioner was responsible for the decision.
Naqvi said the chief guest and he had been delayed and that the officials were instructed to begin the programme rather than keep the public waiting.
He acknowledged that what happened was inappropriate but maintained that the circumstances were not the officers’ fault.
Episode Fuels Debate Over Official Privilege
The Establishment Division’s subsequent advisories, however, make clear that the prime minister viewed the optics of the episode seriously and expected the two senior officials to avoid a recurrence.
The episode has fuelled a wider public discussion about official privilege, ceremonial protocol and the standards of restraint expected from senior public office holders in the federal capital.
The context concerning Naqvi’s earlier defence is independently reported: he said the buggy had been intended for the chief guest, that he and the chief guest were delayed, and that the officials had been instructed to start the programme rather than keep attendees waiting.
