Fire at crash site has been put out; the one that’s lit in the hearts of loved ones will smoulder for times to come
CANADA: May 22th, 2020 will go down in the history of PIA as one of the darkest days. Government officials of all stripes spared no time in parroting statements to create a perception of shock, dismay and disbelief. Next came the most effective weapon in the government’s arsenal: paint all the innocent victims with the holy brush of martyrs. This marks the end of their responsibilities. The tales of incompetence and bad governance is conveniently brushed under the rug and life happily moves on with a zeal to conduct an impartial inquiry, which, if history is any guide, is likely to meet the same fate as anything that flies over the Bermuda triangle.
The fire at the crash site has been put out; the one that’s lit in the hearts of the loved ones will smolder for times to come. The prime minister said countless times that any national tragedy is attributed to the government’s incompetence for which none other than the government of the time is to be blamed. All errors are benign unless triggered by humans. The error could be anything ranging from nepotism in hiring the engineer who may have missed a key step from the inspection checklist, the control tower personnel who may have failed to alert the pilot, or the pilot who may have ignored the landing advice from air traffic controllers.
Only a thorough impartial cross-functional investigation can lead to the root of the accident, which would, in turn, help prevent any future tragedies. Putting a 3-inch band aid on a 12-inch wound will simply make matters worse. The dispensation of justice is at the core of Riyasat-e-Madina from where the prime minister gets his inspiration. He should use this as an opportunity to demonstrate that he can walk the talk.
Syed Yasir Shah
Published in The Express Tribune, June 1st, 2020.
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