Video of Alleged Protocol Given to Saqib Chadhar Goes Viral; Maryam Nawaz Removes DC Jhang
Lahore (Daily Qudrat) — After a video of allegedly unauthorized use of government vehicles during a car rally in Punjab’s Jhang district went viral on social media, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif immediately removed Deputy Commissioner Jhang Babar Sahib Din from his post. The video was shared on social media with the claim that PML-N Punjab Assembly member Saqib Chadhar was allegedly being provided with government protocol; however, neither the Chief Minister’s statement nor the issued official notification named Saqib Chadhar.
Social media user Majid Ali Bhatti shared the video of the vehicles’ rally on X, claiming that Saqib Chadhar was being given government protocol. The video shows several vehicles moving together on an unpaved, dusty track, some of which appear to have blue lights. However, based solely on the video, it cannot be determined which department owned all the vehicles in the convoy or on whose orders they were deployed.
Maryam Nawaz’s Immediate Notice, Announcement of Removing DC Jhang
گلاں دیاں گلاں، ثاقب چدھڑ دا پروٹوکول سکواڈ لیول دا ہے🔥 https://t.co/bWd4O8hlD4
— Majid Ali Bhatti (@MajidAB_) October 24, 2026
Tagging the user’s video in her response on X, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif clarified that the video shows a car rally in which a vehicle of the Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority (PERA) is present alongside other participating vehicles.
The Punjab Chief Minister said that using the resources of a regulatory body outside its official jurisdiction for frivolous purposes is a serious violation of administrative discipline and contrary to government policy; in view of this matter, the Deputy Commissioner is being immediately removed from his post.
The notification issued by the Punjab Government’s Services and General Administration Department along with Maryam Nawaz’s post revealed that Babar Sahib Din, a Grade 18 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service, has been immediately transferred from the post of Deputy Commissioner Jhang and directed to report to the Services and General Administration Department for further orders. The notification was issued on the orders of Chief Secretary Punjab Zahid Akhtar Zaman; it does not mention Babar Sahib Din’s suspension or dismissal from service but rather his immediate transfer.
The video depicts a car rally in which a PERA vehicle is seen accompanying other participating vehicles. The deployment of a regulatory authority’s resources for non-serious purposes, beyond its officially prescribed mandate, constitutes a serious breach of administrative discipline and a violation of established policy. In view of this matter, the Deputy Commissioner is being removed from the post with immediate effect.
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) October 25, 2026
What Action Was Taken Against Saqib Chadhar?
An important question that has arisen in this matter is: if government resources were used to provide protocol to a political or private figure, what action has been taken against the person who benefited from those resources and other officials who ordered their deployment?
The name Saqib Chadhar was mentioned in the video viral on social media; however, the Punjab Chief Minister did not identify any political figure in her statement, and the available official notification only mentions the transfer of the Deputy Commissioner Jhang. So far, no official announcement of any departmental action, inquiry, or legal proceeding against Saqib Chadhar regarding this specific incident has surfaced in the available information.
It has also not been clarified which officer gave permission to include the PERA vehicle in the rally, or whether the roles of other relevant officials are also being reviewed. Saqib Chadhar’s position on the matter is also yet to emerge, while independent verification of whether he requested government protocol or approved its use could not be made.
Desert Rally Was Also Held Under the District Administration in Jhang
It is noteworthy that the Jhang district administration organized the first Jhang Desert Rally and Cultural Festival this month. According to an October 12 report in the English newspaper The News, Deputy Commissioner Babar Sahib Din had said that the three-day event would be held from October 16 to 18 in the Rahmatabad area of Tehsil Athara Hazari.
A 95-kilometer-long track was prepared in the Thal desert for the rally, and around 100 drivers and riders from across the country were expected to participate in the event. However, it could not be definitively confirmed whether the recent video viral on social media is from this event or a separate rally.
Orders Banning Unauthorized Protocol Were Already Issued
This matter surfaced at a time when the Punjab Chief Minister had issued strict directives on October 23 and 24 to end unnecessary government protocol. According to government orders, provincial ministers, advisers, special assistants, parliamentary secretaries, chairmen of standing committees, assembly members, government officials, and private individuals cannot be provided permanent police squads without authorized permission.
The use of unauthorized flags and flagstaffs on government vehicles has also been banned. The Chief Minister had directed the IG Punjab and relevant officers to recall unauthorized police squads and ensure implementation of these orders.
After the immediate change of the Deputy Commissioner in the Jhang car rally matter, the question now gaining importance is whether the government will also conduct a full investigation into the use of government resources, and if it is confirmed that an unauthorized facility was provided to a political or private figure, whether action will also be taken against those responsible.
