“Pagal” at the helm?
Daily Express (17 September 2018) informed its readers that there was a chance that US Defence Secretary James Mattis ran the risk of being dismissed after he described US President Donald Trump as a fool (‘pagal’).
Treason vs treason?
Senator Maula Bux Chandio of the PPP was quoted by Daily Express (17 September 2018) as saying that Article 6 of the Constitution ought to be invoked against those who call for the construction of the proposed Kalabagh Dam. He described the proposals for building the dam as digging up a buried corpse.
Denied
Daily Express (17 September 2018) reported that police stopped PTI leader Aamir Liaquat Hussain outside the State Guest House where PM Imran Khan was staying. Aamir Liaquat Hussain, on the other hand, took the view that he had not been stopped, but that he had arrived before time.
Trashed
Daily Dunya (18 September 2018) reported that visitors to the Governor House in Lahore had engaged in frolicking (uchal koodh), broken glass and uprooted plants in the premises. The lawns of the Governor House were strewn with empty bottles, shopping bags and food leftovers in the wake of visitors.
Sale
It was reported by Daily Express (18 September 2018) that as part of PM Imran Khan’s austerity drive, some 102 cars belonging to the PM House were put on auction, and 62 of these were sold on the first day. The prices set by the government for some vehicles led to hoots of laughter from those present at the auction. The report further stated that people showed great interest in helicopters and cows.
New CM faces journos
CM Punjab Usman Buzdar, according to Daily Jang (18 September 2018) found himself unable to respond to questions from journalists. The report went on to say that the new CM found himself helpless (be-bus) and relied on hints (luqmay) from a lawyer assisting him. In response to a question about the lack of electricity in one particular area, he responded with the strange (ajeeb o ghareeb) answer that work had begun everywhere, and that the person asking this question ought to contribute to “the fund”.
Advice
Sindh’s CM Murad Ali Shah was quoted by Daily Dunya (19 September 2018) as saying that governments cannot be run by selling cows. He recommended that if the new administration was serious about earning money off the cows owned by the Prime Minister’s house, it ought to sell their milk over the course of its five-year term in office, rather than the animals themselves.
Slump in morale
Indian Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, according to Daily Express (19 September 2018), opined that there had been negative effects on Indian soldiers due to Navjot Singh Sidhu’s embrace of Pakistan’s Army Chief. The Defence Minister took the view that the Indian Army has a specific view about Pakistan, and it has many fans of Sidhu – so his actions during his Pakistan visit had negatively impacted the morale of Indian troops.
Making it official?
It was reported by Daily Dunya (20 September 2018) that the Assembly in the Indian state of Uttarakhand was looking to declare the cow a national mother (qaumi ma).
Busted
Daily Express (19 September 2018) reported that a raid on a gambling den on Lahore’s Lytton Road led to the arrest of 20 gamblers. According to the report, the Criminal Investigation Authority (CIA) and other law enforcement authorities had been receiving “monthlies” from the gamblers’ den.
Piety in Palembang
The mayor of the Indonesian city of Palembang has made it mandatory for civil servants to attend communal prayers at the mosque. According to Daily Dunya (23 September 2018) some 16,000 civil servants are to be monitored using mobile phone apps to ensure that they attend prayers – facing dismissal if they fail to be regular.