‘Make Gulloo Butt the foreign minister’
Reported in Jang (June 19, 2014), MQM legislator Syed Ali Raza Abidi said in the National Assembly that the government should make Gulloo Butt the foreign minister if it doesn’t have anyone else to appoint to the post. He will wave his baton to bring regional countries into line (danday ghuma kar seedha karta rahay ga).
Imran Khan fed up with tattletaling in PTI
Reported in Dunya (June 19, 2014), Imran Khan became very angry during a PTI meeting over bickering between administrative officials, and scolded them (shadeed ghussay main aa kar jharr pila dee, sakht barhami ka izhar kiya). He said he wakes up to 50 text messages every morning, all of which are mutual complaints. He was especially angry with the women’s wing and told them not to SMS him again.
‘Moonsighting committee should find missing Chaudhry Nisar’
Reported in Dunya (June 20, 2014), Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar has been missing in action recently. He has not been attending National Assembly meetings, and has not been carrying out his weekly media briefings. Opposition leader Khurshid Shah has suggested that the government should contact the moon sighting committee to find Chaudhry Nisar.
Chinese engines become headache for Pakistan Railways
According to Pakistan (June 20, 2014), officials at Pakistan Railway are very upset (sar pakar kar baith gaye) that the new Chinese railway engines keep failing. They have started hiding reports of faults in the engines from the media. But the train delays are hurting the public’s recently restored trust in Pakistan Railways.
Actor flees through secret passage as police raids theater
Dunya reports (June 21, 2014) that Faisalabad police came to Lahore to raid the Al Hamra theater and arrest famous actor Akram Udas, who is accused of violating a contract and running away with a million rupees that a producer in Faisalabad had given to him. Akram Udas ran away through a secret passage.
Lahore bans bathing in canals
Reported in Jang (June 22, 2014), the district government of Lahore has banned bathing in canals. The ban will continue until further notice.
Lawyers beat up traffic police officer
Reported in Nawa-e-Waqt (June 22, 2014), two lawyers in Okara beat up a traffic police officer (laaton aur ghoonson say thukai) because their driver’s licenses were not issued on time. A scuffle between policemen and lawyers ensued (hatha pai aur gali galoch) and the district police office turned into a battlefield (maidan-e-jang ban gya).
Millions at stake in bets on Qadri’s future
According to Express (June 23, 2014), gamblers in Karachi had put tens of millions on stake (karoron ka jua) in bets on how the government would treat Dr Tahirul Qadri on his return to Pakistan. The most likely outcome was that he would be taken to his house in Lahore on a helicopter.
Pakistani students make expensive racing car for cheap
Nawa-e-Waqt reports (June 23, 2014) that students in Peshawar have made the world’s most expensive Formula One racing car, but at a cost of only Rs 1.7 million.
Cops and protesters share food after clashes
Reported in Jang (June 24, 2014), when the clash between police and Tahirul Qadri supporters in Islamabad was over, they shared food and drinks with each other.
Foreign tourists pose with cops at Islamabad airport
Reported in Express (June 24, 2014), foreign tourists arriving at Islamabad airport were not frightened when they saw the policemen deployed there, but were amused and took photographs with them making victory signs. Police officials seemed very glad to receive such “response”.
Jahangir’s tomb loses electricity after failing to pay bills
Reported in Nawa-e-Waqt (June 24, 2014), electricity connection to the tomb of Mughal emperor Jahangir has been cut off because of unpaid bills. The Archeology Department says they had been overcharged.