Cops get beaten up during ‘unofficial raid’
Reported in Nawa-e-Waqt (February 22, 2016) four plainclothesmen raided a house in Karachi’s Orangi Town locality in a police vehicle. The people of the neighborhood punched and kicked them, and then beat them up with batons and stones (mukkon, laaton, dandon aur pathron ka azadana istamaal). They were handed over to the local police, who said it was not an official raid. One of them turned out to be a civilian. The other three were suspended.
Con job
According to Dunya (February 23, 2016) two young men from Sargodha arrived at the Lahore airport with a job letter, and asked to be assigned a duty. The airport officials said the letter was fake. The job letters, which state a salary of Rs 45,000 a month for the men who did not even go to college, are on Civil Aviation letterheads and have fake stamps, including one of the Ministry of Defence. The men said they had paid a priest in their hometown Rs 5,000 each for the job letters, and demanded justice.
Picture perfect
Express reports (February 23, 2016) two boys were taking photographs of girls visiting a park in Gujranwala without their knowledge. An elderly woman, who was also visiting the part with her daughter and granddaughter, caught them (hathay charrh gaye). She beat the up with shoes (jooton say tawazo). The security guards and passersby intervened to save them (jaan bakhshi karai).
How to avoid flight delays
According to Jang (February 23, 2016) PIA has told its officers in a circular not to delay flights because of incomplete safety equipment, technical faults, pregnant women, or shortage of catering goods. The airline’s spokesman said the measure was necessary in order to avoid flight delays.
KP chief minister’s car impounded in Lahore
Nawa-e-Waqt reports (February 24, 2016) excise officials in Lahore impounded a car belonging to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Pervez Khattak because it had a fake number plate. His grandson was driving the car. He had to bring an authority letter from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Excise Department to get his car back.
Transgenders vs crossdressers
According to Nawa-e-Waqt (February 25, 2016) two crossdressers were begging and behaving indecently in a suburban neighborhood in Multan. A group of “real” transgendered people caught them and gave them a good thrashing (khoob pitai kee). One of them told the reporter the crossdressers were bringing a bad name to them and their profession.
Up in arms
Reported in Jang (February 26, 2016) when the National Assembly speaker told PPP lawmaker Ijaz Khan Jakhrani to ask a concise question instead of making a speech, he lost his temper (aapay say bahir). He hit his microphone so hard that it broke off and flew all the way to the speaker’s dais.
Custody case decided after 17 years
Reported in Nawa-e-Waqt (February 26, 2016) the Supreme Court decided a custody case 17 years after a couple had divorced. The girl was allowed to go with her mother. She was three when the case began. The court said she was an adult and her own opinion should be sought. She chose to go with her mother.
Sibling rivalry in accountability court
According to Express (February 27, 2016) two siblings began to fight each other during the hearing of the case in an accountability court. The elder sibling slammed the younger sibling into the wall and broke his head. The younger sibling stabbed the elder sibling with a machete. Their lawyers and other people at the court watched silently at first, but then intervened and took them out of the court.
Fake captain delivers speech at university
Dunya reports (February 28, 2016) security forces arrested a man who had claimed to be a captain in the army and delivered a lecture at Forman Christian College. He had been warmly welcomed by the university (aao bhagat) and also sought donations for IDPs.