Are condoms the answer to starving Pakistanis?
MPA Jam Tamachi Unar offered up his nugget of genius in the Sindh Assembly on Friday.
KARACHI:
Frustrated with rising prices? Invest in some contraception! MPA Jam Tamachi Unar offered up this nugget of genius in the Sindh Assembly on Friday. “Look,” he said. “Solving inflation is very difficult. Can we just not do some population control schemes?”
Based on what Minister of Bureau of Supply and Prices Shoaib Ahmed Bukhari had to say about the lack of powers his department has, perhaps a “buy a tomato and get two condoms free” scheme is the way to go until the government decides to collate all pricing functions in one place.
“Too many cooks spoil the broth,” commiserated Dr Ahmed Ali Shah.
“I am the only cook!” replied Bukhari.
It was his turn to answer questions on Friday but he had little to tell the house since he has few powers, given that various overlapping areas are managed by the agriculture department and city administrators. The questions, which went around in circles, finally culminated in a sarcastic barb. “You must decide on whether the city government was better or ‘your system’,” Bukhari sniffed.
Many an MPA railed against rising prices - one even said that she had inquired from a nearby market - but many in the assembly don’t need to worry about grocery bills. A guilt-ridden Unar started off the day’s proceedings with a scathing critique on the way the Sindh Assembly works.
“I am embarrassed to accept the TA/DA,” said Unar, referring to the daily and travel allowances given to elected representatives. “We work four days, then take the next four off. We call a session on Friday on purpose!”
Tsk tsk, Mr Unar. It is a stroke of genius that the Sindh Assembly always meets on Friday so hard-working MPAs can collect allowances for the weekend too. But sometimes you’ve got to work hard for the money. As the MPAs fidgeted to leave after the call to prayer rang out, Speaker Nisar Khuhro announced – amid much clamour - that they would meet again on Saturday.
The Sindh Assembly also heard a touching tale of woe on Friday before the MPAs made a run for the exit. MPA Javed Hussain Shah presented a ‘privilege motion’ about an unwarranted raid on his farmhouse and how senior police officers didn’t answer his phone calls.
“Shame!” shouted some MPAs. It was an Oscar-worthy show of solidarity, a heartbreaking moment. After all, how dare a cop not pander to an MPA? But many MPAs would be well-advised to check their own cell phones for the number of missed calls and messages from constituents and journalists alike.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 18th, 2012.
Frustrated with rising prices? Invest in some contraception! MPA Jam Tamachi Unar offered up this nugget of genius in the Sindh Assembly on Friday. “Look,” he said. “Solving inflation is very difficult. Can we just not do some population control schemes?”
Based on what Minister of Bureau of Supply and Prices Shoaib Ahmed Bukhari had to say about the lack of powers his department has, perhaps a “buy a tomato and get two condoms free” scheme is the way to go until the government decides to collate all pricing functions in one place.
“Too many cooks spoil the broth,” commiserated Dr Ahmed Ali Shah.
“I am the only cook!” replied Bukhari.
It was his turn to answer questions on Friday but he had little to tell the house since he has few powers, given that various overlapping areas are managed by the agriculture department and city administrators. The questions, which went around in circles, finally culminated in a sarcastic barb. “You must decide on whether the city government was better or ‘your system’,” Bukhari sniffed.
Many an MPA railed against rising prices - one even said that she had inquired from a nearby market - but many in the assembly don’t need to worry about grocery bills. A guilt-ridden Unar started off the day’s proceedings with a scathing critique on the way the Sindh Assembly works.
“I am embarrassed to accept the TA/DA,” said Unar, referring to the daily and travel allowances given to elected representatives. “We work four days, then take the next four off. We call a session on Friday on purpose!”
Tsk tsk, Mr Unar. It is a stroke of genius that the Sindh Assembly always meets on Friday so hard-working MPAs can collect allowances for the weekend too. But sometimes you’ve got to work hard for the money. As the MPAs fidgeted to leave after the call to prayer rang out, Speaker Nisar Khuhro announced – amid much clamour - that they would meet again on Saturday.
The Sindh Assembly also heard a touching tale of woe on Friday before the MPAs made a run for the exit. MPA Javed Hussain Shah presented a ‘privilege motion’ about an unwarranted raid on his farmhouse and how senior police officers didn’t answer his phone calls.
“Shame!” shouted some MPAs. It was an Oscar-worthy show of solidarity, a heartbreaking moment. After all, how dare a cop not pander to an MPA? But many MPAs would be well-advised to check their own cell phones for the number of missed calls and messages from constituents and journalists alike.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 18th, 2012.