Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal shared on his X account what we can only call an AI slop song, dedicated to “the youth of Pakistan — the architects of our nation’s future”.
“Inspired by the timeless philosophy of Allama Muhammad Iqbal, this song carries the message of Khudi and the spirit of the Shaheen. Iqbal taught us that true strength lies within. A nation rises when its youth discover confidence, character, knowledge and an unshakable belief in their own potential,” the minister wrote in his tweet.
The song, based on a poem by Allama Iqbal, has been released by the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives and URAAN Pakistan, the ministry’s initiative to spotlight and advance projects and reforms as part of the 5Es National Economic Transformation Plan.
Rather ironically, he wrote that the poet’s Shaheen “never accepts mediocrity and always aims for greater heights”. But what’s more mediocre than a government department using AI to create a song and music video instead of hiring actual Pakistani artists and filming it in our beautiful country?
In 2022, the government released a re-recorded version of the national anthem to make it more inclusive. It featured musicians from all over the country with diverse regional, cultural and ethnic backgrounds and was gender-balanced and inclusive of national musical talent. That’s the kind of content we want to see from our government, not this.
