Wahab Riaz, the Adviser to Punjab Chief Minister on Sports and Youth Affairs, has apologized for his reckless driving and splashing bikers on flooded roads in Lahore. Riaz faced a lot of criticism on social media for his careless behavior, which captured in a viral video. Riaz said that it was unintentional and misperceived, and urged people to spread positivity.
Lahore witnessed a record-breaking rainfall on July 5, 2023, which caused massive urban flooding and disrupted the normal life of the city. Many areas submerged in rainwater, and commuters faced difficulties in traveling on the waterlogged roads.
Among them Wahab Riaz seen wearing long white boots as he inspected the flooded streets. However, he also drew attention to the irresponsible driving of his SUV through the rainwater, causing huge splashes that drenched motorcyclists and pedestrians who were already struggling with the adverse weather conditions.
A video of Riaz driving went viral on social media platforms, sparking outrage and condemnation from netizens. Many people slammed Riaz for his disregard and disrespect for others on the road and called him an “illegal sports minister” who had no business in administrative affairs. Some people also demanded his resignation or removal from his post.
کڑوڑوں کی گاڑی میں دو ٹکے کا آدمی #WahabRiazpic.twitter.com/vTwAqNgzPO— Mansoor Ali ✨ WordPress Ninja 🧑🏻💻 (@mansoor91) July 5, 2023
Riaz responded to the criticism by posting an apology on Twitter. He said that he was sorry for what happened, but he also defended himself by saying that it was purely unintentional and misperceived in a very wrong way. He asked people to not malign the country with negative propaganda and to try to spread positivity always.
There are always two sides of the coin, but unfortunately we always see the wrong one only. I’m sorry for what happened yesterday, it was purely unintentional and was misperceived in a very wrong way. Let’s try to spread positivity always and not malign this beautiful country of…— Wahab Riaz (@WahabViki) July 6, 2023
The Riaz incident emphasized civic sense and responsibility. It questioned the government’s role in handling the rainfall crisis.