On 14th August, a video went viral on social media. It showed hundreds of Pakistanis gathered near the Burj Khalifa waiting to see their flag displayed on the world’s tallest skyscraper.
A Pakistani lady narrates, How Pakistan flag didn't show up on Burj Khalifa on their Independence day😂😂🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/WNbEOetANL
— Gems of Politics (@GemsOf_Politics) August 14, 2023
The video narrator says that it is already past midnight but no Pakistan flag has been displayed. “Pakistanis you have been pranked, people are saying you deserve this”. The Pakistani public was seen rising Pakistan Zindabad slogans, but Burj Khalifa remains blank.
On 15 August, a popular Pakistani YouTube channel Sana Amjad shared a video where Pakistanis were visibly upset that on 14 August Dubai’s iconic Burj Khalifa did not display the Pakistani flag and wished Pakistan on the occasion of their Independence Day.
The host Sana Amjad shared that a lot of Pakistanis living in Dubai had gathered near Burj Khalifa, whose stylish and vibrant displays in the glass face of the world’s tallest skyscraper are a popular tourist attraction.
However, apparently, Pakistanis were left disappointed. Speaking to Amjad, Pakistanis expressed disappointment and lamented over Pakistan losing its stature. They even stated that on 15th August Burj Khalifa will definitely display vibrant congratulatory wishes for India, for the Indian Independence Day.
The sad and dismayed Pakistanis claimed that UAE’s love for India is because of a strong trade partnership and Pakistan is losing the love it earlier enjoyed because of economic reasons. The host even asserted that not just Independence Day messages, Burj Khalifa regularly displays PM Modi’s image to praise and congratulate him for various reasons. For some reason, the video was made unavailable on Youtube.
In fact, starting from 14th August when Pakistanis started getting upset over the lack of display at the Burj Khalifa, social media was abuzz with speculations and trolling from the Indian side about Pakistan getting snubbed by Burj Khalifa.
The angry reactions by Pakistanis became a topic of discussion in India too.
A video went viral on social media showing dismayed Pakistanis waiting near Burj Khalifa for the display, saying that the display never came. It was grabbed by many meme makers in India to troll Pakistanis.
#BurjKhalifa Burj Khalifa last night on #Pakistan's 76th Independence Day. #HappyIndependenceDayPakistan
— No Context Cricket (@nocontextcric_) August 14, 2023
pic.twitter.com/gpznCoQbC9
Pakistani: “We want our flag on Burj Khalifa”
— Prof.N John Camm (@njohncamm) August 14, 2023
UAE: “We don’t promote bhikhari in Dubai”pic.twitter.com/y5Qdg3Y04V
Finally, the Instagram handle of Burj Khalifa shared a video, where they showed Pakistan’s national flag and an Independence Day message were displayed on the building.
However, there was a problem with the display. The congratulatory message showed ‘Happy 76th Independence Day’ for Pakistan. This triggered another debate on social media on whether the message was just a ‘typo’ or Burj Khalifa just played last year’s video.
However, the last year’s display did not include any 76th, or any number. It just had Pakistan’s flag and played Pakistan’s anthem by Navy Band.
In 2022, Emaar’s official Instagram handle displayed Pakistan’s flag and played Pakistan’s national anthem to congratulate Pakistan on its Independence Day.
Pakistan and India are celebrating 77th Independence Day, not 76th
The display of the 76th Independence Day on Burj Khalifa created another speculation that this was probably a mistake done in haste or a previous year’s video has been played.
Many Pakistani handles shared the video shared by Burj Khalifa, claiming the display happened and that it was the 76th Independence Day.
However, the government of Pakistan, in Pakistan has been officially celebrating the 77th Independence Day, just like India, because it has been exactly 76 years since 1947. So as 14 August (15th August for India) was the 1st Independence Day, 2023 makes the 77th Independence Day.
The official handle of the President of Pakistan has wished fellow citizens on the occasion of the 77th Independence Day, not the 76th, as claimed by the Dubai skyscraper.
President Dr. Arif Alvi hoisting Pakistan's national flag at the official Flag Hoisting ceremony on the 77th Independence Day of Pakistan, in Islamabad.#14August2023 pic.twitter.com/EsLFu4SJ0n
— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) August 14, 2023
It is not clear whether the ’76th’ part was an inadvertent error by some technician or indeed an old video was played.
Burj Khalifa’s I-Day wishes for India have no ambiguity, no confusion, skyscraper lit up to display a vibrant Tricolour for India
No such confusions and controversies were made for India though. The Burj Khalifa did light up in a vibrant display of the colors of the Indian flag, to the joy and cheers of Indians, on the occasion of the 77th Independence Day of India.
Indian flag at the Burj Khalifa with the national anthem.
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) August 15, 2023
A goosebumps moment! 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/K6sxXODZhI
The displays at Burj Khalifa are a source of joy for ex-pat Indians and Pakistanis. However, the controversy and confusion over this year’s display seem to have made our neighbors upset.
It is understandable here that at the stroke of midnight on 14th August, there was no display of the Pakistani flag on Burj Khalifa, which understandably made Pakistanis angry, as many of them expect a special friendship from the UAE, for being a ‘Muslim’ country. It is possible that after gauging social media reactions, the Burj Khalifa handle shared the display, albeit with a typo, calling it the 76th Independence Day.
