Govt ad carries ex-PAF chief's photo, PMO orders probe

Embarrassed by inclusion of a former Pakistan Air Force (PAF) chief’s photograph in a government advertisement today, along with Indian leaders and icons, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) apologised to the nation and ordered an inquiry into the lapse.

The photograph of former Pakistan Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed in uniform appeared along with those of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi, in a full-page newspaper advertisement of the Ministry of Women and Child Development to mark National Girl Child Day.

In a damage control exercise, the PMO issued a statement saying, “The Prime Minister’s Office has noted with regret the inclusion of a foreign national’s photograph in a Government of India advertisement. While an internal enquiry has been instituted, the PMO apologises to the public for this lapse.”

This statement was in sharp contrast to the remarks by Minister of State for Women and Child Development Krishna Tirath, who saw nothing wrong in the advertisement, insisting the message was more important than the photograph.

Tirath said the “the photograph is only symbolic. The message for the girl child is more important. She should be protected”.