Daily Times

LAHORE: The sale of national flags with unauthorised colour and design was on peak in Lahore, as the government and concerned departments, besides failing to curb its sale, has also failed in taking action against the owners of printing press.

The preparations of Independence Day are in full swing in the provincial capital. The citizens are witnessed buying national flags, badges and other related accessories to celebrate the occasion. However, the printing press owners have failed to follow the standard operating procedures approved by the government, which included its authorised colours, direction and size of moon and star, during the manufacturing of national flags.

Vendors have set up special stalls across the city for the sale of national flags, green and white buntings and other celebratory items. But the flags at these shops did not meet the terms and condition of SOPs approved by government.

The specifications of a Pakistani flag include a dark green rectangular portion with a white vertical bar at the mast. The green portion bears a white crescent in the centre with a five-pointed white heraldic star. The width of the white portion is one quarter the width of the flag while the green portion occupies the remaining three quarters.

Last years, CDGL had pulled up its socks against the printing press owners who did not follow the SOPs while manufacturing national flags. However, the district administration was late in taking decision, as only one week was left before the Independence Day. More than 80 percent of the flags have been printed while the remaining are under process.

Fortunately, this year CDGL held a meeting with the printing press owners to stop illicit flag printing but the district administration again failed to ensure its implementation. When Daily Times tried to contact District Coordinator Officer (DCO) Lahore Captain (r) Muhammad Usman, he refused to comment on the issue.

However, DCO’s spokesman Imran Maqbool said that the DCO had directed all nine town enforcement inspectors to take strict action against the printing press owners who were neglecting flag specifications as mentioned in the constitution of Pakistan. “The DCO directed to ensure the authorised dark green and white colour, direction of moon and star in the flag, which were the symbol of the country,” he added.

To a query, he said that the district administration did not impose fine on any shopkeeper and printing press owner and no person had been arrested during surveillance in Lahore. Anyone can notify the admin about this issue upon which the concerned town would take immediately action against the responsible persons, he added.

Lahoris, while expressing their views with this scribe said that they did not know the SOPs regarding national flag manufacturing, adding that they were buying flags, green and white buntings, T-shirts, badges, bands and other celebratory items just to mark the day. They emphasised that the government should highlight this issue and create awareness among people across the country in this regard.