na bhindi hai na tinda hai
jaan buhat sharminda hai
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Discussing Pakistan’s unique transport has remained a favourite topic at ATP (see Rickshaw, Truck, Tram, Bus and all modes of transport together in a post).
Today I want to pose a question to our readership. What do you think is the most challenging transport ride you’ve taken in Pakistan? If you ask me then there is only one possible answer and that is the challenge of sitting and not slipping at the back seat of a tonga.
You see the tonga owners all across Pakistan, for some reason, put a vinyl/plastic back seat cover. The urdu word for this material is mome-jaama. Now most of the tongas in Pakistan travel at a tilted angle anywhere between 30 degrees and 60 degrees. This tilt angle is directly proportional to the weight of back seat passengers and inversely proportional to the weight of coachman. To get a better picture, see this forward slash that I am going to type ( / ). Now imagine sitting on the back seat of a tonga at such a tilt, with a plastic seat cover underneath and not slipping. pretty tricky – huh.
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Nadeem Omar Tarar
The frequency of terrorist attacks in Pakistan has dampened their shock value. Sadly, it is not the news of the attack, but the body count of the dead and injured that captures the headlines and stir the national conscience from slumber. Contrary to news hype on the terrorist attacks in the media and government’s robust defense to counter them, the information on the conditions of civilian victims of terror is pushed to the margins.
The plight of victims and their families remains sketchy and peripheral to the human rights discourse in Pakistan. The worst victims of terrorism in the country continue to impoverish and suffer in isolation and away from the public domestic and international attention.
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