It seems that in Karachi a new trend has developed, which might change the direction of how The New Year is to be welcomed, with 28 people injured by aerial celebratory firing. The police had earlier warned against one-wheeling, but no injuries were reported because of that. I suspect an error in the release, because everyone knows that on-wheeling is practiced on Independence Day, still well over seven months away, as intrepid young men celebrate their independence not only from the British but also from traffic laws, good sense and even life itself.
Anyway, aerial firing for New Year’s in Karachi brought perhaps more victims from stray bullets than one has at weddings. It does make some sense to mark the New Year with firing, because one can then use up the ammo left over from aerial firing during the wedding season.
No one died this year, but considering the record of aerial firing at weddings, there are hopes of some fatalities. It certainly beats the firecracker method, which seemed to have potential but did not produce any results. I am referring, of course, to the time-honored tradition of the young men of the city going out on New Year’s Eve on motorcycles, with a pillion rider, armed with firecrackers. They would then go into the traffic, which would be congested because of all the gawkers in cars who wanted to celebrate too. These motorcyclists would weave in and out of the traffic, and the pillion rider would throw a firecracker though whatever open window they could find.
Now if the car was being driven at normal speed, the blast of the firecracker should have made at least some drivers lose control of their vehicle and crash it, causing casualties. But cars in new Year’s night would crawl along at best, and would probably be at a standstill. As a result, when the firecracker went off, apart from some intemperate language,
Someone who has passed away, but neither because of firecrackers or aerial firing was Brigitte Bardot, who has gone to meet Hewr Maker at the age of 91. She was one of those European actresses who dominated Western cinema about 60 years ago, of whom only Sophia Loren and Catherine Deneuve are still around, aged 90 and 81 respectively. I suppose the takeaway is not just the fleetingness of human beauty. These women became famous because they were good looking. As old women, they were not so good looking. They were not so famous. But Brigitte Bardot found a role after retirement from films back in 1973. Animal rights. Seal.. dolphins, bears and what was anathema in France, horses. It’s anathema because the French love their horsemeat as much as the Chinese or Koreans love their dogs,
Another lady who passed away was Begum Khaleda Zia, widow of late Bangladeshi President Ziaur Rehman, and herself thrice PM. She was 81, and illustrated another kind of lesson, the evanescence of office. Bangladesh is an afflicted country. One PM, Begum Zia, no more, another, Hasina Wajid, under sentence of death. Usman Hadi, who had been one of the leaders of the movement that arrested her, was assassinated.
Bangladesh might be in trouble, but there might be good news for Pakistan, as its Under-19s beat India by 191 runs in the Under-19 Asia Cup. Pakistan made 357-8 in its 50 overs, on the back of Sameer Minhas’ 172. No one knows Narendra Modi’s feelings, but the entire under-19 team was hosted by the COAS on return. Is Minhas going to be on the same page? Let’s see if he opens a dispensary in his home town of Multan.
Peaking of new methods, I see separatists have found a way of getting international recognition. The Republic of Somaliland has been fighting for separation from Somalia for sometimes, but now they’ve got Israel to recognize them. How? Simple. They just acceded to the Abraham Accords and recognized Israel.
Are we seeing that in Yemen? They trying to separate, returning Yemen to the constituent countries of North and South Yemen, with one getting Israel’s recognition by acceding the Abraham Accords. That might lead to an unseemly struggle as to which joins the Accords first.
Imagine if our separatists tried that tactic. The BLA might try for Israeli recognition using that route. Maybe the Taliban might try.
The best thing last week, though, was the Chinese revelation that it had mediated between India and Pakistan last summer. It seems that somebody in Beijing got tired of Trump saying forever that he had brokered the peace. That means other countries are free to make the claim. Like Djibouti. Or Tuvalu.
