What Did Former Governor of Sindh Imran Ismail Do with National Legends?

In common parlance, signing official or unofficial documents is often referred to as “putting a bird on it.” When this “bird” is placed on budget approvals, it results in an increase in the monthly income of government employees and pensioners.

However, this approval does not generally lead to an increase in the stipends given to those who receive government benefits, leaving them to survive on limited funds while trying to maintain a facade of simplicity.

Individuals in significant positions are often appointed to oversee various important institutions, organizations, and trusts. For instance, the Governor of Sindh serves as the Chancellor of the province’s universities and the Patron-in-Chief of several trusts, including the Legends Fund.

The Legends Fund was established in December 2006 during the tenure of former Governor Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ebad, with an initial contribution of 50 million rupees from the Sindh government. Among its trustees were former Federal Finance Minister Shaukat Tareen and industrialist S.M. Muneer, who passed away in November 2022.

The fund was created to honor individuals acknowledged as legends in various fields, providing them with financial support in times of need to help them live with dignity. These legends include celebrated artists, intellectuals, poets, writers, sports figures, and others from various fields.

After Ishrat-ul-Ebad, retired Chief Justice Saeed-uz-Zaman Siddiqui, PML-N leader Muhammad Zubair, and later Imran Ismail from the PTI, were appointed as Governors of Sindh. Imran Ismail served as Governor from August 2018 to April 2022 and was also the Patron-in-Chief of the Legends Trust during his tenure.

Some legends complained that during Imran Ismail’s tenure, they went without their monthly stipends for three and a half years, causing them significant hardship. When this reporter tried to contact Imran Ismail about this matter, there was no response despite repeated attempts.

These legends reported that monthly stipends resumed after Kamran Khan Tessori became the Governor of Sindh. Between January 2022 and November 2023, individuals from diverse fields, such as comedian Salahuddin Toofani, actor Malik Anokha, footballer Lal Muhammad, tabla player Munawar Sultan, folk singer Aziz Baloch, Sohrab Fakir, and their families received financial support. Notably, for the first time since the fund’s inception, the monthly stipend for legends from Sindh was increased from 20,000 to 35,000 rupees.

In a meeting held at the Governor’s House, Governor Tessori established a committee for scrutiny and decided that its recommendations would be presented in the next session.

During his address, Governor Tessori highlighted that today’s youth often seek idols abroad due to the neglect of national heroes within Pakistan. He emphasized that heroes from various fields deserve recognition and appreciation, which would inspire the younger generation.

He praised the achievements of Arshad Nadeem, who won a gold medal at the Olympics, showcasing to the nation who the true heroes are. It is also heartening that Arshad Nadeem has received millions of rupees in rewards from the Punjab, Sindh, and Federal governments.

Furthermore, business community members praised Tessori’s approach compared to the previous administrations. One prominent industrialist recalled the inconvenient practices under previous Governors, where visitors had to surrender their mobile phones and were issued tokens to retrieve them later. On one occasion, due to a mix-up, two industrialists ended up with each other’s phones.

Today, however, meeting attendees receive a photo with the Governor via WhatsApp before they even leave. The industrialists also acknowledged Tessori’s sentiment that saving Pakistan requires the same spirit with which it was created, even if it means investing one’s own money to free the nation from the IMF’s hold.