Government officials have been accused of staging photo ops to deflect from their failure over the Murree tragedy. Social media users said that the officials seemed more concerned with optics than providing actual assistance.
Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar perhaps received the most criticism online, when several videos of him touring the snowy Murree mountainside circulated on Twitter.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) official account posted a video of the minister with the following post: “Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Bazdar left Islamabad for Murree Chief Minister Usman Bazdar will visit the snow-affected areas of Murree Chief Minister Usman Bazdar will be briefed about the rescue and relief operation in Murree.
وزیر اعلی پنجاب سردار عثمان بزدار اسلام آباد سے مری روانہ
وزیر اعلی عثمان بزدار مری کے برفباری سے متاثرہ علاقوں کا دورہ کریں گے
وزیر اعلی عثمان بزدار کو مری میں ریسکیو اینڈ ریلیف آپریشن کے بارے بریفنگ دی جائے گی pic.twitter.com/cv9yCR5DKC
— PTI (@PTIofficial) January 9, 2022
However, many felt that the efforts from the chief minister amounted to too little, too late.
Another wrote, “The drama of activating the machinery by going to the victims in the ground wearing boots is still better than the drama of this helicopter.”
CM Usman Buzdar aka Wasim Akram Plus reached #Murree after 2 days:
when most dead have been buried, roads cleared & deadly snowfall has stopped. That too on a helicopter!
— Abdul Samad Yaqoob (@ASY53) January 9, 2022
بوٹ پہن کر گراونڈ میں متاثرین کے پاس جا کر مشینری کو ایکٹو کروانے والا ڈرامہ پھر بھی بہتر ہے اس ہیلی کاپٹر والے ڈرامے سے۔ https://t.co/k3ha8LjEjf
— Ahmad (@dukeahmad) January 9, 2022
People on social media were upset at the unnecessary expense of a helicopter ride, especially as the country edged on the verge of a recession.
I don't know if PTI deliberately rubs salt in people's wounds or are actually oblivious to how real world works. Buzdar in a helicopter is just an extra cash withdrawal from the exchequer with absolutely no tangible results or value.
STOP IT PLEASE! https://t.co/ZcihMId04b— Nizamuddin Khan (@salarzai_) January 9, 2022
Another commentator noted, “Now, when the people needed it, no institution came forward except the army Now the lives that were lost due to their insensitivity did not come back In the next winter after calling the meeting today, this indifference will remain again”
https://twitter.com/RaziCh512/status/1480159478485950468
