A Boeing 737 crashed killing 127. Mourning goes on throughout the country. Hair raising scenes can be seen on TV of their families. The crash will go in oblivion in a few weeks time and like Air Blue, it will be forgotten. New developments will happen which will replace this tragedy. The government has set up commissions to probe into this unfortunate accident. The PM has set up a commission, Interior Minister has set up an inquiry committee, CAA will hold its own inquiry and so on. Defence Minister is so far quiet.
In a country like ours where unemployment is rampant a few hundreds got jobs to do. Inquiry commissions and committee will set up their offices. Typists and helping staff will get down to work. Drivers, couriers, trips abroad, office staff, telephones, etc will all get engaged. The 100-page report will be prepared after 12 to 16 months. The report will be presented to the President and then the PM in a ceremony in Islamabad. The report will be shelved in a beautiful cabinet already full up to the last drawer with other reports.
Meanwhile, opposition will have dug something of its own. The debates on TV will begin. Anchors will have something to shout about. It will become hot-shot political debate. The channels will have more expensive TV commercials to accumulate more. And that’s it. The mourning families will have second death anniversaries. The government’s obligation is over. It will blame media for its biased opinion when truth is spoken and the media will create its own defence for freedom of speech. The usual blame game starts. But the government will not plug the basic loopholes which lead to such tragic accident.
AMJAD H MIRZA
Lahore
