In December, 1997, two news items appeared in the national dailies.



Karachi. "Retired Major Shot Dead by Bandits."

Major Ahmed; a resident of Askari Apartments III, was passing Street no. 4 of Block - H, when he noticed three armed men snatching car no. W-2368 from Mrs Nasim resident of Block - G. The decoits opened fire at the ex service man, when he challenged them. He sustained bullet wounds in the chest and died instantly.



Thatta: "Thatta DC Steals the Show".
The  Deputy Commissioner of Thatta presented a rare show of his might, in the presence of a large crowd, by giving 'exemplary punishment' to a 12 year old boy for his mistake in Jatti town of his district on Sunday. 


The boy, Ahmed Mallah, made an abortive bid to cross the road pushing his wheelbarrow loaded with bananas, while a convoy of VIP bird hunters, was about to pass through. One of the vehicles - mostly Limousines and Pajeros - in the convoy appeared to be carrying the  deputy commissioner, Ali Akbar Mugheri and some of his friends. Though the boy promptly realised his mistake and pulled back his wheelbarrow to allow the convoy to pass first, Mr Mugheri's driver had to stop the vehicle. Mr Mugheri, fulfilling his pledge to restore justice in a minimum possible wastage of time, disembarked from the vehicle and started beating the boy causing injuries  to several parts of his body".  The DC, not satisfied with thrashing the kid," turned the wheelbarrow upside down destroying almost all the bananas", thus ensuring boy and his dependants go hungry without getting any sustenance through daily earning! 



It sure was a bad day for "Ahmeds". I wonder what would had happened, if on December 16, DC Thatta, Mr Ali Akbar Mugheri had been in North Nazimabad, Karachi and Major Ahmed in Jatti ? Can someone guess?