With time, it is becoming extremely painful for me to note the property ads in which generals’ villas are put up for rent. One such ad mentions: “General villa facing garden, North open, 800 sq yards, 5 bedrooms, study room with wooden floors, drawing room with wooden floor, TV lounge and dining with cool marble floor. Italian kitchen with shutter film installed in windows, glass wall covered by fence, landscaped lawn, ideal for locals and foreigners.”
Rent demanded in this ad and others like it is to the tune of Rs200,000. Only the very rich can pay this much rent. Obviously, the general advertising the villa for rent must have another such villa for himself. Such ads had not pinched many before the Abbottabad debacle, but after it, people rightfully raise their eyebrows. Enemy planes entered our air space while our generals and air marshals were busy in property deals, carving up more land for themselves or landscaping it. Is it not a sad reflection on our state of affairs? Generals, admirals, and air marshals, please do the wheeling-dealing on the quiet without advertising in the press because people genuinely feel the heartburn on seeing such ads. Have as many corner plots as you wish, landscape them, but don’t let the people get the whiff of it. Thank you!
DR JAFFER KAPADIA
Karachi
