Wahab Riaz, the Adviser to the Punjab interim Chief Minister on Sports and Youth Affairs, faced severe public criticism on Wednesday for his reckless behavior on flooded roads in Lahore. As a result of continuous heavy showers, Lahore broke a 30-year-old record by receiving over 290mm of rain within a span of 10 hours, leading to the unfortunate death of at least seven people, according to officials.
Learn how to measure rain water in white boots with Wahab Riaz. pic.twitter.com/yAkOQtKSal
— Naila Inayat (@nailainayat) July 5, 2023
During this intense rainfall, several areas in the city experienced more than 200mm of rain, indicating the impact of climate change and a strong monsoon, as stated by Commissioner Lahore Mohammad Ali Randhawa. In response to the situation, Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi and his cabinet visited various areas of the city to assess the conditions, oversee clearance operations, and monitor drainage efforts.
However, a video shared on Twitter captured Wahab Riaz driving recklessly on flooded roads, splashing rainwater onto passing vehicles and motorcyclists from his car. Journalist and anchorperson Raza Zaidi criticized Riaz’s behavior, stating that foolish individuals tend to abuse their positions. Another referred to him as an “illegal sports minister.”
Very sad to see this video of @WahabViki when bike riders and small car travelers affected by dirty water raised due to his giant land cruiser. Such Kind of act is not fair. He should pardon for it.#WahabRiazShower #WahabRiaz #PardonWahabRiaz pic.twitter.com/QSIV1FngFv
— Saqib Ali (@SaqibAliHaidri) July 5, 2023
Social media users expressed their dismay, noting Riaz’s high-speed driving and lack of concern for other road users. Rayham Wadud described it as an “extremely awful act,” as Riaz carelessly splashed water onto vehicles and people riding motorcycles in Lahore’s flooded streets.
Many netizens condemned the former cricketer’s actions and called for his resignation.