NOT UNUSUAL: This is with reference to the report “PIA aircraft’s missing wheel found at Karachi airport” (March 15). It is believed that PK-306 lost one of its wheels after it struck an object on the runway at Karachi. The incident was handled casually by the airline, probably because it takes such things as normal. I hope we do not get to see news items like ‘PIA plane lands with only one engine running’, or ‘PIA crew makes successful landing despite the pilot being fast asleep’.

Shakir Lakhani

Karachi

Published in Dawn, March 23rd, 2025

https://www.dawn.com/news/1899796/going-home-for-eid

Aslam was an average Memon, uneducated and moderately religious. He had seen his father die at the age of 63, suffering from diabetes and heart disease. So he should have taken extra care, but no, that would have meant eating only what was necessary and walking a lot. He believed firmly that no matter what he did, he would suffer if it was in his stars. As for dying early, that had been decided even before he was born, so there was no sense worrying about death.

So he went on stuffing himself and leading a sedentary life, developing diabetes and heart problems. He never had a regular job, for many years he had subsisted on charity, yet he fathered five children, because he had heard countless times that those who practiced birth control would be consigned to the fire. 

So, at the age of 58, he passed away. I know most Pakistanis won't agree, but if he had been educated, his fate would have been different. He would have known that diabetes can be controlled, he would have known that obesity results in many diseases, but no, to believe such things is akin to blasphemy. His poor wife (who works as a maid and cleaning woman) will now have to raise those five children (the youngest is just ten months old). 

In case no one has noticed, there is a civil war raging in the country. Every day, there are attacks by terrorists in KP on the police and the army. We all know who the killers are and why they're doing it. Imran Khan allowed forty thousand terrorists to return to the country from Afghanistan, assuming that by doing so, his vote bank would increase and he would gain the support of the locals. But if there's one thing about the Taliban that everyone knows, it's that they cannot be trusted. 

For some reason, Pakistanis are a violent people. The other day a man shot a woman and her uncle for refusing his proposal to marry her. Yesterday a man killed his fasting mother because she didn't provide breakfast on time. The father of the notorious killer Armaghan threatened to kill the prosecutor and the investigating officer. All this in the sacred month of Ramazan when Muslims are supposed to fast and control themselves. 

Perhaps it's because of poverty and joblessness. Unemployed men tend to gather in mosques where they are told about the glorious days when Muslims ruled the world and how it can be done again (by killing those who are not true Muslims). It'll be a long time before the killings will stop.

 A couple of days back the blood pressure of my 85 year old cousin dropped suddenly while he was driving. His car damaged two vehicles as he passed out. He has been the healthiest relative of mine, so I was really shocked. I gave up driving after ramming into the barriers outside the building I live in two years back.

This year my health has noticeably declined. This winter, which ended last week, I had intense pain in my legs. I used to hear from old people about such things but I never expected that it would happen to me. In the morning, it takes me a long time to get out of bed. I've also lost my balance a couple of times. I hope I don't end up with a broken hand or leg. So what can I do? I've seldom taken pain killers, but now it looks like I will have to. Fortunately I'm still able to walk three or four kms daily, though not as fast as previously.

Civil Servants

Published in Dawn, March 15, 2025

THE richest man on Earth, Elon Musk, considered by many to be the de facto president of the United States, recently asked government employees to state what work they had done in the preceding week. I was wondering what the response of Pakistan’s civil servants would be if they were asked to present a similar status report.

It can be said with certainty that out of every 10 employees, half of them would say that they turned up for work only on one day in the month, and that was to collect their salary cheques. Three of them would say that even though they went to the office daily, they did not know what to do there, as no one had explained it to them.

One out of 10 would probably be vacationing with their families outside the country, spending their hard-earned money lying in foreign bank accounts. That leaves just one out of the 10 who is the person who does the actual work.

Shakir Lakhani

Karachi

https://www.dawn.com/news/1897972/civil-servants

 

 Mohsin Naqvi has a tremendous responsibility, being the country's interior minister. Yet he's been spending more time managing the cricket team and the recently concluded Champions Trophy. Why should he have two jobs? He's so out of touch with reality that a few days back he claimed that the Baloch rebels were so weak that a mere SHO (a low ranking police official) could get rid of them. But yesterday's attack on a train in Baluchistan proves that the rebels are highly organized and can inflict massive damage to the country.

The hijacking of the train was obviously done with inside help. It's just like the situation in East Pakistan before it became Bangladesh. The Shehbaz Sharif government is busy increasing the perks and privileges of its ministers instead of concentrating on improving security. The train hijacking has brought to the attention of the whole world to Baluchistan. India of course is delighted. 

Mohsin Naqvi should resign immediately. 

Like all narcissists, Trump will never admit his mistakes. Yesterday the stock markets in the US fell drastically due to imposition of tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China. Republicans are fighting among themselves due to sacking of government employees. Elon Musk and a couple of other senior Republicans quarreled in the open and are no longer on speaking terms.

The question arises: will Trump realize that what he's doing is harming his country? I doubt it. The only way he'll be convinced is if his party is soundly thrashed in state elections. Meanwhile, Pakistanis in the US are in a state of panic. Yesterday Pakistan's ambassador to Turkeministan was denied entry and deported from Los Angeles despite having a valid visa and a diplomatic passport. I hope Pakistanis don't travel to the US anymore. In fact, even those who have green cards and have been citizens for many years are at risk. They should stay in the US for the next four years at least. If they go on vacations outside US, they could be denied entry when they return.

 Not once had Trump even mentioned Pakistan since taking power 45 days back. I thought maybe he has forgotten Pakistan completely. But yesterday he thanked Pakistan for arresting a wanted terrorist, and the whole country went wild with enthusiasm. It was like Pakistan had finally conquered Kashmir. The prime minister thanked Trump for appreciating his government's role, the foreign ministry reminded Trump of how Pakistan had helped the US in fighting terrorism, almost all TV channels and anchor persons talked of nothing else. Imran Khan and his supporters were of course sorely disappointed that Trump has done nothing so far to get their leader released.

Knowing Trump, I won't be surprised if he takes a U-turn again and criticizes Pakistan for terrorism (as advised by his Indian-origin FBI head). In fact, there are credible reports that Pakistanis may be banned from visiting the US from next week. So Shehbaz Shrif and his ministers should keep their fingers crossed.

Trump has shaken the world. The way he ditched Ukraine and imposed tariffs on two allies (Canada and Mexico) proves that he cannot be trusted to stick to any future agreements he will make. In his first term, he backed out of an agreement with Iran that the previous Obama government had signed. Now he wants Russia to improve relations with Iran (this is something the Israelis must be dreading). Europe has already decided to help Ukraine because they consider Putin to be the greater menace. Now that Trump wants the war to end on Russia's terms, he will have to remove sanctions and oil prices will go down soon (particularly if Trump removes sanctions on Iran as well). The Saudis of course will not like it. 

I wonder why Trump's advisors are not asking him to take it easy. If he's allowed to have his way, his own country will suffer. The US arms industry will collapse. Higher tariffs on imported goods will hit ordinary Americans. For Pakistan, things look good. Lower oil prices will be good for Pakistan, and removal of sanctions on Iran will mean Pakistan will be able to buy Iranian gas. Let's hope that happens.

Daily you hear or read something that makes you wonder whether Pakistan will be able to survive. Besides Imran Khan's efforts to weaken the country, and attacks by terrorists in KP and Baluchistan, the rampant corruption of our police and judiciary make me despondent and regret not leaving the country when I had the chance about fifty years ago.

The stunning revelations in the Mustafa Amir murder by someone who is a criminal and psychopath has proved that our judges can be bought (something that has been evident for some time). The lower court judge, after talking to the killer's father, reversed his decision and remanded the killer to judicial custody instead of handing him over to the police. He was so stupid that he spread "whito" over his original order and wrote the revised order on it. It makes you wonder how he ever got to be a judge. As for the killer's father, one wonders how he managed to become a citizen of the US. Then there are the cops who actually helped the killer (Armaghan) to indulge in smuggling of narcotics.

Then there is the case of the woman who ran over two waiters two years ago in Islamabad. The woman (Shanzay Malik) fled after killing the two men. Of course, if she'd been an ordinary person, she'd have been convicted, but being the daughter of a Supreme Court judge (Shehzad Malik), the lower court magistrate said the cops didn't present enough evidence against her (although there was a CCTV footage of the accident).  

I know that people will say that this kind of thing happens in many other countries, but Pakistan has enough problems of its own without its police and judges being criminals.