A statue of the poet of the East, Allama Muhammad Iqbal, placed in Lahore Gulshan Iqbal Park, has been removed on the directive of Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, after the statue drew criticism, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on Tuesday sought a report from the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) Director General.
The CM said an investigation will be held in placing of the statue in the park and disciplinary and departmental action will be taken against those responsible. “Placing the statue in the park is the negligence of the concerned authorities,” Usman Buzdar said. Allama Iqbal’s sculpture was recently placed in Lahore’s Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park.
On the other hand, PHA Chairman Yasir Gillani tweeted, “Dear, this is prepared by maalis on their own, they made it in sheer love for Iqbal and to pay homage from their heart. Authority didn't approve or even paid a single penny for it. WE WILL ADDRESS IT but can anyone see from Maalis eyes, their love and their aqeedat.”
PML-Q leader Chaudhry Moonis Elahi also tweeted on the sculpture of Allama Muhammad Iqbal and urged to follow his teachings instead of raising statues on his name, as Iqbal was himself an idol-breaker.
Separately, a statue of founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah on Jail Road in Lahore has not been repaired even after passing of four long years.
The TV channel reported that citizens have questioned the performance of Parks and Horticulture Authority PHA.