Picture of the Day: Negotiating with Police

Yes, its the police again. It may be getting excessive. But what can I say, I take justice seriously; how can I not with the name I have.

The official title of this photograph suggets that the policeman was trying to humiliate the motorcyclist. My own sense is that is not true. It is much more likely that the motorcyclist is trying to charm the tulla to negotiate his way out of a challan. I say this with some conviction because I have done the same; and gotten away with it.

What do you think? And can anyone suggest a title? A sheyr maybe?

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Picture of the Day: In Control

Meet Zamir Ulhaq, 34 years old when this picture was taken (in 2001), originally from Faisalabad, directing traffic at Zarghoon Road, Quetta.

When I was very young (as young as my son now is), I wanted to grow up to be this man (or someone like him). And why not. This police cop wears a kool uniform, is obviously in control, has a whistle that he can blow whenever he wants, and people listen to him (well, some people, sometime).

Obviously, I did not know then just how difficult his job is and how under-appreciated he is. I do now.

(The photograph is by Vincent Laforet, first published in the New York Times, and found here).

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Picture of the Day: Tulla Makeover

Adil Najam

This is a double bonus; the Picture of the Day as well as a fascinating story unto itself.

This photograph of a much-moustachiod policeman (endearingly referred to as a Tulla‘) was taken by manitoon (available on Flickr.com) at a Daily Times today (6 July, 2006).

It turns out that the Lahore Police is going to get a makeover. And as a first step, they will be put through a psychological test to “check which ones are good citizens.”

This according to a story in the Daily Times (6 July, 2006) by Shahnawaz Khan, which reports that a 10-point questionnaire had been prepared in collaboration with psychologists, for the purpose of evaluating the ‘good citizenship’ of Lahore cops.

[Sources said that] the DIG decided to send the proposal after the June 20 incident, in which a drug addict who killed his three daughters was shot dead by a constable in the Liaqatabad police precincts. They said that this was an initial step to improve policemen as individuals. Psychologists would announce results after a survey, on the basis of which senior officials would give policemen the ‘Good Citizen’ title, they said, adding that policemen would be given the ‘Good Cop of the City’ title in the second phase of the project. Sources said the Lahore Police would also launch a project to select the ‘Officer of the Month’ and the ‘Cop of the Month’.

So, what are the questions in this 10-question psychological test that are being considered? Read on…

Q1. You find someone’s wallet on the street, do you … ?

• pick it up and take it to a police station
• look around to see if anyone is looking for a wallet, then pick it up and take it to the police station
• look for a name or address in the wallet and send it to them
• ask passers-by if they’ve dropped the wallet and take it to the police station
• take the money and drop the wallet in a bin

Q2. You’ve invited friends over for dinner, do you … ?

• reach for the recipe books and make a special shopping list of the ingredients you need
• wait until the day of the dinner and decide what to cook then
• try out a new recipe and hope you have the right ingredients
• check if they have any special dietary requirements and cook individual dishes for them accordingly
• look for a recipe that uses the food that you already have in the house

Q3. You’ve been told a secret about your best friend, do you … ?

• think about it and maybe tell someone later
• run and tell all your mutual friends
• keep it to yourself, until later
• think about it and tell a few select trusted friends
• wonder why you’re being told this

Q4. You meet someone at a party for the first time, do you … ?

• imagine what they’re like
• introduce yourself and find out what they’re like
• know what they’re like already
• watch how they behave then decide
• ask your friends what they’re like

Q5. If you experience a problem at work, do you … ?

• discuss it with your colleagues and come to a solution
• look carefully at the problem and then offer a solution
• keep it to yourself, examine it carefully, then solve it
• ignore it and come back to it later
• come up with a solution immediately

Q6. You hear a noise outside your house in the middle of the night, do you … ?

• rush out and investigate
• look out your windows for signs of a burglar, then decide
• make some noise, turn on lights, then check outside
• call the police and check the doors are locked
• check doors and alarms system, then look outside

Q7. You receive a parcel in the post with its address all smudged, do you … ?

• try and read the smudged handwriting
• check the postmark to see where it came from
• rip it open and see what it is
• ask your housemates if they’re expecting a parcel, then open it with them
• leave the parcel where it is and see if anyone else claims it

Q8. If you were an animal you’d be … ?

• an owl
• a bear
• a cat
• a wolf
• an eagle

Q9. Select the personality trait that most applies to you

• practical
• thoughtful
• methodical
• spontaneous
• quick-thinking

Q10. You left some cold food in the fridge and now it’s missing, do you… ?

• check your house for evidence of crumbs or a dirty plate
• chat with your housemates whilst smelling their breath
• mention it to your housemates individually and gauge their reaction
• call a house meeting and ask for the guilty party to step forward
• rush around accusing everyone of stealing it

I must confess that as I read these myself, I am not sure if (a) this is real, (b) what the right answers might be, (c) what this has to do with the Pakistan context, (d) whether someone has just copied this from the back of a Readers Digest self-help test, or (e) whether good citizenship can be determined or induced through such a test. However, it is a fun read nonetheless.

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Flying Donkeys in Pakistan

Who should one commend here. The donkey for his running skills, the driver for his panache, or the photographer for excellent shot. We have raked our head for a caption that would do justice to the shot. Can you suggest one?

This photo is courtesy of Jahangir Khan at Associated Press of Pakistan. Subject is a donkey driven race cart seen near Jinnah Bridge Karachi on July 25, 2008.

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Picture of the Day: Fall Foliage

Massachusetts - where I currently live - takes its Fall (Autumn) season very seriously. The main attraction is ‘Fall Foliage’; the changing of leaf colors as autumn sets in. The official Massachusetts website proudly proclaims that, “Fall is a glorious time to visit Massachusetts. The trees wear magical coats of crimson, gold, and scarlet leaves; hillsides glisten under a pale pink glaze; dry leaves crunch underfoot; and every farm stand boasts piles of fat orange pumpkins.”

Indeed, the spectacular colors that the leaves and forests assume as the cold suddenly creeps in are breathtaking. This is the peak of the tourist season here and people from all over the country and the world converge here to ‘look at the leaves.’ Fall Foliage happens in many places around the world, but in this area (called ‘New England’) it is especially special.

In the beginning, I used to think this rather quaint, even funny. But now I have come to appreciate the glory of the season. Over the last many weeks as I have sat on my desk writing this blog, all too often I have looked up to enjoy the wonderful hues of yellows and oranges and reds and browns that the leaves in my yard have assumed. By now the leaves are all on the ground, the snows are around the corner, but it is still quite beautiful.Over the years, I have taken many photographs of Fall Foliage in Massachusetts. The photograph featured here is not one of them. Indeed, what makes this photograph special is that it is not of Massachusetts at all; even though the foliage connoisseurs of New England would have been quite proud of it. It is, in fact, from Hunza. The snow packed Himalayas in the background make the picture all the more spectacular.

I found this picture on the web (here) the other day and wondered why people seem to enjoy and appreciate Fall colors so much more here than they do in Pakistan. Indeed, as so many of Shirazi’s posts highlight, we tend to enjoy and appreciate the natural wealth of our country so much less than we should. Of course, the daily struggles for survival have much to do with our lack of ability to do so. But even those who can seem to be far more interested in catching a weekend in glitzy Dubai than catching their breath in beholding the natural beauty that is all around us.

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