BAHAWALPUR: The district government unveiled its new logo on Monday making changes to that of the former Bahawalpur state for the first time.

Designed by Zain Tahir, the new logo depicts the desert area along with images of the Bahawalpur state’s symbol of pelicans on either side as well as Derawar Fort, camels, plants of wheat and the state’s star and crescent picked from the national flag.

A verse by poet and philosopher Allama Iqbal also features on the logo: ‘Ho Halqa-i-Yaran Tou Baresham Ki Tarah Narm’.

Highlights of the changes to the previous logo and the new additions were explained by the host, District Coordination Officer (DCO) Dr Ehtesham Anwar Mahar. He also mentioned other initiatives taken for the welfare of people and to redress their grievances.

He claimed to have taken a lead by introducing Urdu as the official language at government level, introducing a toll-free number for registration of public complaints in addition to confer VIP status on government school teachers in the district for the first time.

The unveiling ceremony presided over by Minister of State for Education and Professional Training Baleeghur Rehman was largely attended by PML-N parliamentarians, including provincial minister Malik Iqbal Channar and notables from various sectors of life.

The district government also welcomed the new civil and military officers, including Bahawalpur General Officer Commanding Maj Gen Amjad Ali Khattak, Station Commander Brig Mansoor Januja and District and Sessions Judge Rehan Bashir and bid farewell to the government officials recently transferred. Five retired lower grade employees of the government were presented shields to acknowledge their services. On the occasion, a documentary was also screened on restoration of the seven gates of the old city.

Minister Rehman welcomed the gathering of civil and military personnel, which he hoped would go a long way in the development of a “rising Bahawalpur” as well as “rising Pakistan”.

He also mentioned the restoration of seven dilapidated gates of the old city, introduction of a waste management company and other such changes.

Provincial minister Channar in his speech admitted that parliamentarians had been defeated by the district administration in taking the city on the road to progress.

MNAs Makhdum Syed Ali Hassan Gilani, Mian Najeebuddin Owaisi, former Punjab Assembly deputy speaker Sahibzada Usman Abbasi, MPAs Dr Waseem Akhtar, Afzal Gill, Kazim Peerzada, Qazi Adnan Farid, former MPAs Syed Tabish Alwari and Samiullah Chaudhry were also present on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2016