A confrontation erupted at Lahore airport after Awaam Raaj Party leader and television host Iqrar ul Hassan alleged that an FIA official passed a political remark about him while on duty at the immigration counter.
According to a video circulating online, the officer allegedly told a colleague, “He will also end up like Jawad Ahmad,” referring to singer Jawad Ahmad, who is also the founder of Barabri Party Pakistan (BPP).
Iqrar ul Hassan objected to the comment and confronted the officer at the airport, questioning the appropriateness of political remarks by a uniformed official on duty.
During the heated exchange that can be seen in a viral video, the FIA official said, “I can talk to anyone in my personal capacity,” to which Iqrar replied, “You are not in your personal capacity, you are in uniform”.
The officer maintained that he was performing his duty, while Iqrar responded, “You are not doing your duty. In the uniform you are wearing, you are working for this state. If you are such a revolutionary, then resign”.
“You abuse someone in public and then say you didn’t abuse them,” a visibly angry Iqrar said.
The FIA official responded, “Sir, I did not even speak to you,” denying that the comment was directed at him.
In a separate video shared later on social media, Iqrar ul Hassan said that he initially chose not to publicise the incident because he did not want the officer’s job to be affected.
He said that he had even requested FIA senior officials, including the Deputy Director, to ensure that the matter did not lead to disciplinary consequences for the officer.
Iqrar stated that he only spoke publicly after what he described as “misleading versions” of the incident began circulating online.
He added that uniformed officials should remain politically neutral and avoid using their position to comment on political figures.
The incident triggered mixed reactions online, with users sharply divided over both the officer’s remark and Iqrar’s response.
Some supported Iqrar’s stance, saying that a government officer in uniform should not be making political comparisons at work. One netizen wrote, “When you are on duty, you are not on one side. You serve people, not political agendas.”
Another social media user argued that even if the officer had political views, expressing them in uniform was inappropriate.
Some defended the officer’s right to personal opinion but agreed that it should not be expressed while in uniform, with one noting that institutional neutrality should apply consistently across all officials.
Others criticised Iqrar’s confrontation, saying his behaviour escalated the situation unnecessarily. One comment said that he “jumped onto the officer instead of handling it professionally,” while another described his tone as “overbearing and performative”.
A separate reaction said that Iqrar often appears in similar confrontations, suggesting the incident may have been amplified for content.
Another comment added that while the officer’s remark was inappropriate, Iqrar’s reaction should have reflected more restraint given the public setting.
The debate continues online, largely centred on political neutrality in state institutions and the limits of public confrontation involving officials in uniform.
