Heading up a UNICEF sub-office in a Cantonment Town/City brings with it some interesting experiences. There were times when – on a special armed forces day – I would be invited to attend the parade. Nice being viewed as a Very Important Person – an honour that UNICEF rarely bestowed on its own staff. I was never quite sure whether I should attend or not, but felt that I should at least show willing and hope that the tea served afterwards didn’t taste like industrial drain cleaner. Sometimes, the ‘cookies’ were actually quite tasty.
The military in Pakistan felt it important that visitors – even the invited ones – should behave in a manner unlikely to discomfort anyone. There had been a number of assassinations so that they wished to avoid any further adverse publicity. Accordingly, coming with the invitation was a typed sheet, photocopied so many times that, sometimes, it was barely legible. However, with today’s software, it has been possible to make it passably legible, and it is attached.
So, now you know. Leave your side-arms with your driver, outside the parade area. For UNICEF, this was absolutely forbidden in any case, even when participating in Peacekeeping operations, so I simply attended and hoped that the right cookies were served this time. . . . .
*****
.jpg)
Comments
Post a Comment
Please ensure you leave your name, bei either selecting your google account (if you have one), or selecting 'name' from the drop down menu. Enter your name there. If confused, leave your name in the text of your comment.