Prank, not terrorism
Dunya reports (February 16, 2016) five schoolchildren were taken into custody for creating panic and fear when they threw crackers at their school and ran away. It was mistaken for a terrorist attack. They told police they did it because their names were on the list of students who hadn’t paid their tuition fees. They were allowed to go after a warning. The police officer said it was a prank, not terrorism.
Beaten up on Valentine’s Day
Reported in Jang (February 15, 2016) three girls in Daska beat up two boys with their sandals (jooton say pitai) when they tried to give them flowers on Valentine’s Day. The boys threw away the flowers and fled (faraar). In Okara, a young man tried to give a rose to a girl traveling with him in train. The girl’s brother and other passengers showered slaps on him (thapron ki bochhaar). When the train reached the next station, they made him hold his ears through his legs (murgha banaya) for five minutes. They let him go when he apologized and stated that the girl was his sister. Other passengers and onlookers enjoyed the scene (lutf-andoz hotay rahay).
What language do chief ministers understand?
According to Dunya (February 17, 2016) Shahbaz Sharif is the most multilingual chief minister in Pakistan, who can speak fluently in seven languages – Urdu, English Punjabi, Arabic, French, German and Saraiki. He is currently learning Chinese. Former Balochistan chief minister Abdul Malik can speak five languages – Urdu, English, Balochi, Pashto and Brahui. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM Pervaiz Khattak can speak Urdu, English, Punjabi and Pushto. Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah can only speak Urdu, English and Sindhi. He says it is more important to know politics than to know languages. When he doesn’t know the meaning of an English word, he asks people.
Shahbaz Sharif listed as PTI member
According to Express (February 17, 2016) the voter list for PTI’s internal elections also includes the name of Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif. The spokesman of the party’s election commission says it is possible that he became a PTI member. If he did not, his vote will be cancelled.
University graduates apply for janitor jobs
Of the 150 people who applied for 30 vacant positions for sweepers at Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar, many had Bachelor’s and Master’s degree, Express reports (February 19, 2016). They had to leave disappointed because the job required three years of experience and a certificate from the Employment Exchange.
No ID cards for 93-year-old’s sons
Reported in Dunya (February 19, 2016) NADRA has declined to make national identity cards for two men whose father is 93 years old. According to their rules, the age difference between a father and a son cannot exceed 70 years. The two men say they do have a B-Form, but the officials make fun of them instead of solving their problem.
Near-accident over Gwadar
Express reports (February 19, 2016) a PIA plane and a Shaheen Airlines plane almost collided over Gwadar. They were so close to each other that the warning alarms went off. The Shaheen Airlines pilot had changed his frequency but didn’t tell the control tower, and was not in contact with them. The PIA pilot spoke to air traffic control who helped him avoid a collision.
Wrestlers fight journalists
Reported in Jang (February 19, 2016) wrestlers at a tournament in Gujranwala used their wrestling skills (dao pech azma daalay) on two news reporters. They were angry because the reporters didn’t cover their event. Other journalists gathered in protest, but the wrestlers attacked them too. They slapped and punched the journalists, and then beat them up with their maces (gurz).
Off the beaten track
Nawa-e-Waqt reports (February 18, 2016) when a school teacher in a village near Narang Mandi saw a broken railway track, he stood facing the approaching train and waved his hands. He was almost run over by the train but was able to stop a major accident.
Travel agent tries to flee on foot
Reported in Jang (February 21, 2016) people in Gujranwala saw a man running ahead of two women who were trying to beat him with their sandals. They intervened (jaan bakhshi karwai) to find out the man was a travel agent who had taken money to send them on an Umrah pilgrimage, but he didn’t. They said he had been making excuses (taal matol) for three months.