The Balochistan government has issued an order directing all department heads and senior officials to set the call-back tones to the ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ (long live Pakistan) track.
The call-back — or ringback — tone is the sound heard by the originator of the call before the receiver answers their phone.
The decision was taken during a meeting, presided over by the chief secretary, by Services and General Administration Department Section Officer Bahadur Khan, according to the notification.
The secretaries of all departments, additional secretaries, deputy secretaries and heads of other departments concerned are required to strictly abide by the decision. The additional secretaries have also been directed to ensure their subordinates also apply the same ringback tones on their mobile phone numbers.
It states: “…The Government of Balochistan, Science and Information Technology Department has conveyed that in pursuance to the decision made in the meeting held under the Chairmanship of worthy Chief Secretary, for the setting of mobile Ring-Back Tone “Pakistan Zindabad” by Administrative Secretaries, Additional Secretaries, and Deputy Secretaries and head of attached Departments on their cell/contact numbers.”
While the notification does not specify a reason for the move, it explains the procedure for changing the ringback tones for officials using different mobile networks.
The move, meanwhile, raised eyebrows among social media users who expressed surprise at the government’s directive.
“Why aren’t we sure that Baloch brothers are more patriotic than us?” journalist Mubashir Zaidi questioned.
Another journalist, Mohammad Taqi, in a veiled criticism, asked: “What else does a colony look like?”
