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Moose Wala’s photo appears on election hoardings in Pakistan: Report
An apparent attempt to cash in on the popularity of Sidhu Moose Wala, who was shot dead in Mansa district in India’s Punjab state on May 29
Photos of slain Indian singer-politician Sidhu Moose Wala with a reference to his chartbuster song “295” have found their way up on election hoardings in Pakistan, apparently to cash in on his popularity in the upcoming byelections in the country’s Punjab province.
With byelections being held on PP-217 seat located in Multan region in Pakistan’s Punjab province, Moose Wala’s photo was used on the hoarding of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party Tehreek-e-Insaf, alongside Zain Qureshi, who is the son of former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, according to the News International newspaper. The by-elections are slated to be held on July 17.
Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, 28, popularly known as Sidhu Moose Wala, was shot dead in Mansa district in India’s Punjab state on May 29. He had unsuccessfully contested the state assembly elections from Mansa in February.
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The election posters that have come up in Pakistan show Moose Wala’s picture with the numbers “295” inscribed on it, in an apparent reference to the singer’s popular number, the report said. The song is a commentary on the section of the Indian Penal Code that deals with hurting religious sentiments.
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When Zain Qureshi was asked about Moose Wala’s photo on the election hoarding, he pleaded ignorance. “I would like to thank everyone who has printed a picture of Sidhu Moose Wala on the poster as this poster has gone very viral because of his picture. None of our posters had gone so viral before,” he told BBC Urdu.
Moose Wala enjoys a loyal fan base in Pakistan, which explains why his photo was used in hoardings ahead of the byelections. Before his death, Moose Wala had promised fans a Pakistan tour with live shows in Lahore and Islamabad.
Last month, a 30-year-old artist named Shahzad Bhatti from Pakistan’s Punjab province painted a huge portrait of Moose Wala on a truck to pay tribute to the slain singer. The tribute was special because truck art in Pakistan is generally reserved only for the country’s national heroes.
