Comedy of errors: IG’s prize ‘bombs’— by going to the wrong car washer

Real heroes who alerted police to explosive console each other by saying at least God knows the truth .

KARACHI: The police made a 50,000-rupee mistake on Thursday by rewarding the wrong car washer for alerting them to the presence of a bomb a day earlier.

The child who was given the reward at Inspector General of Police Wajid Durrani’s office was neither 11-year-old Noman nor 14-year-old Amir. They were the boys who not only found the bomb but also alerted the police at the nearby checkpost. If the 32kg block had gone off near the Darus Sehat hospital, Gulistan-e-Jauhar would have been devastated.

Instead, at a press conference held at SSP East Javed Odho’s office, another child by the name of Zahid was presented. He is nine years old.

A frazzled Zahid was thrust in front of the cameras. For whatever it is worth, the police did not even consider giving him a chance to clean up. He appeared in his torn green shalwar kameez with broken slippers on his feet. “He is the hero who saved countless lives,” claimed Odho, before going on to add that the child was presented in front of the IG earlier in the day, who himself gave him the commendation certificate.

“Like Zahid, the general public too should inform the police about any suspicious activity in their neighborhood,” said Odho.

The senior police officer refused to admit that there was any police negligence involved in the incident despite the fact that the bomb was discovered just 10 feet away from the community police centre. “You’re right that such a heavy bomb would have definitely been brought in a vehicle and unloaded in the parking space at least before on Tuesday,” he admitted. “But since it was concealed, we can’t say it was a mistake by the police personnel posted there and therefore there won’t be any punishment.”

Zahid, a Kamran Chowrangi resident, told The Express Tribune that he too washes cars for a living along with Noman and Amir near the Darus Sehat hospital. When asked how he ended up with the award, he said, “A policeman picked me up from the [bomb site] place yesterday and promised me that I would be getting a lot of money.”

He said he was related to Noman and was friends with Amir, who had told him about discovering the bomb. “I just told them what they told me and now I’m here.” He added that he too was there when the bomb was discovered along with other young boys like him who wash cars in the neighborhood.

When asked whether he was happy about the award, the child, who has five other siblings, said, “I’ll be happy when I see the money. At the moment, I got this [certificate] and policewalay uncle said I will get 50,000 rupees.” As Zahid can’t read, he doesn’t know exactly what the certificate says.

Back at the site where the bomb was discovered, Noman and Amir were devastated to hear the news that they’ve been left out. “But we are the ones who did everything,” said Noman. The elder Amir was almost in tears. “We did all the hard work and nobody even cares about it.”

Noman clarified the link he had with Zahid. “He is the son of my sister, so technically I’m his uncle.”

This prompted Amir to quip, although in a dejected tone, that even though Noman was Zahid’s uncle, “Today he has made a mamoo out of all of us.” The term ‘mamoo’ is Karachi slang for making a fool out of someone.

Both children stressed that the bomb was so heavy that even when they tried tried to tackle it together, they could barely move it aside. “Zahid is nine years old. He can hardly pick up a bucket filled with water. Don’t the police have any brains?” asked Noman.

Even though it was evident that the two children were heartbroken, they said they held no grudge against Zahid. “God knows the truth,” said the elder Amir as he patted Noman on the back in consolation.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 21^st, 2011.