17-year-old girl held for armed robberies
According to Nai Baat (December 20, 2015) police have arrested a 17-year-old girl dacoit (phoolan devi) in Mandi Bahauddin. Armed with a dagger, the beautiful beggar (khoobru haseena bhikaran) entered people’s houses asking for alms and robbed them.
Sindh CM shows up on convocation nine hours late
Reported in Nawa-e-Waqt (December 20, 2015) Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah showed up 9 hours late for the convocation of Shahid Benazir Bhutto Medical University. The graduating students had left by then.
Pro-Pakistan and pro-ISIS sloganeers arrested in India
Dunya reports (December 21, 201) an Indian lawyer was arrested in the Rajasthan state for chanting slogans in favor of Pakistan and ISIS. He is among eight people arrested for the same violation.
Cockroaches rule ICU at children’s hospital
According to Nai Baat (December 22, 2015) cockroaches rule (lal baig ka raj) the intensive care ward at the Children’s Hospital in Lahore. They are even seen roaming on children’s beds.
Traffic wardens puncture illegally parked vehicles
Express says (December 22, 2015) traffic wardens began to puncture cars and motorcycles parked illegally on Lahore’s Circular Road with ice picks. The measure caused serious problems to their owners of the vehicles (shadeed mushkil ka samna).
Four men beat up traffic warden over parking
Four men beat up and injured a traffic warden in Lahore after he stopped one of them from parking his car in the wrong spot, Jang reports (December 23, 2015). The move proved costly (mehnga parrh gya) for the cop, after three of the man’s friends arrived and tortured him together (tahaddud ka nishana).
‘Easy and slow’ English oath for Islamabad’s councilors
Reported in Nawa-e-Waqt (December 23, 2015) recently elected local council representatives in Islamabad objected to taking their oath in English, and demanded to take it in Urdu. The sessions judge administering the oath said their demand was justified, but he only had the text in English. He assured them he will recite it easy and slow (aasaan aur aahista).
Shahbaz Sharif tests a road in passenger van
According to Dunya (December 24, 2015) Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif tested a newly built road in Kamonkey while sitting in a passenger van (aam wagon). He said his back chronic pain worsens when there are bumps in the road, but he felt no pain in his back, which means the road is excellent (intehai aala).
Brides take exam in wedding dress
Reported in Jang (December 24, 2015) two sisters in Okara took their matriculation exam in their wedding dresses four hours before they were married. They had agreed to get married only if they were allowed to finish school. The last exam was on the same day as the wedding, and their father had to bow (sar-e-tasleem kham) to their commitment to their education (ilm say lagan).
Train runs over boy with earphones
Express reports (December 25, 2015) a young man was run over by train while walking on a railway line with his earphones on. He could not hear the engine coming.