Historical visit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US was historical if we take into consideration the immediate political scenario around the world (‘Modi’s US trip can be a good starting point,’ Gulf News, September 28). India wants to be recognised by the US as a manufacturing hub and there are big contestants, like Pakistan and various other Asian countries. It was a test for Modi’s diplomatic acumen and political sagacity, however the unprecedented importance attached to Modi’s US visit is perhaps not necessary.
From Thomas Matthew Parackel
Muvattupuzha, India
No emergency plan
By yelling and throwing things at the tiger who mauled 20 year-old Maksood at the Delhi Zoo, the crowd only irritated the animal enough to go wild (‘Family of man killed by white tiger wants justice,’ Gulf News, September 25). We should never provoke animals. I fail to understand why the spectators couldn’t realise this. For 15 minutes they did nothing but provoke the animal’s curiosity and shoot videos for public circulation.
Animals never hurt humans until they feel threatened. The zoo obviously didn’t have any safety or emergency measures in place. They had more than enough time to take some quick action, but the zoo authorities failed.
From Ms Shirley R. Graceya
Dubai
Website comment
More security needed
It is pretty clear that there were not enough security measures at the zoo. In any circumstance, a visitor must not be able to bypass the fencing or any other security barricade. This is completely irresponsible of the zoo authorities. May that innocent youth’s soul rest in peace.
From Mr Mahesh P.
Dubai
Website comment
No one saved him
Maksood made a mistake when he crossed the wall and by mistake he fell down. The zoo security and workers should have at least tried to save him, but no one did. When accidents happen, people should be trying to save the person in trouble. Instead it seems like they all just took out their mobiles and started taking videos. I pray for Maksood’s father, I hope he will get peace and justice.
From Mr Raja Mohammad
Dubai
Website comment
Safety first!
My point of view is that being an adult, he should have been more careful. If it was a child, we could blame the zoo management totally. Born in captivity or not, a wild animal is a wild animal. Safety first everyone, you only have one life to live.
From Mr Faz
Dubai
Website comment
Ignored safety barriers
Please don’t blame the zoo officials for the actions of this person. He was an adult and was responsible for his actions. I think this makes him responsible for his own death. It should be treated as a suicide since he ignored all safety barriers and decided to get close enough to fall into the enclosure.
From Mr Hamdan Ali
Dubai
Website comment
Generalising
The opinion in this column has a sort of ‘blanket’ conclusion when it comes to the public mood of certain countries (‘A Saudi-Iranian meeting of minds,’ Gulf News, September 25).
The opinion is very sectarian in tone and seems to draw all its inferences from this narrative. The sectarian or other conflicting positions in the region cannot be entirely subjected to local fault lines. Not in any large way can the role of the major powers be left out of this.
From Mr Syed Azeem
Lahore, Pakistan
Website comment
Free services
Well, it seems a good step, but really we need to improve processing and serving systems in the embassy (‘New smart cards for Pakistanis in UAE,’ Gulf News, September 25). When it comes to Pakistan’s migrators, everybody says that the expatriates are generating revenue for the country by remittance; hence all expatriates deserve such services for free and hassle free. Even renewal of passports, identification cards, family registration, whether they are in Pakistan or any other country in the world.
From Mr Qamar
Abu Dhabi
Improving standards
I totally agree with all the people who want to improve the standard of the Pakistani Consulate in Dubai. They should make a separate single working day for families to renew their passports or let the agencies work for you and validate your passports for 10 years, so that we do not see or meet such indisciplined people. My reason being that there is no mercy for people with special needs, who come to renew their passport, in my experience!
From Mr Tommy
Dubai
Website comment
Taking care of citizens
I think that there more serious issues to be considered with respect to the passport renewal process, as it is not very well organised. Pakistani expatriates are really facing huge problems, especially women and children when it comes to renewing their passports. Solve this issue and make it more convenient for senior citizens, women and children to renew. I don’t think Pakistanis would mind paying extra on top of the renewal fee for this: charges that facilitate the service are never minded.
From Mr Guddu Baba
Dubai
Website comment
More serious issues
It’s a good move but why is the Pakistani Consulate not looking at the other issues? One of the biggest issues is when we are going for a passport renewal and we have to go as early as 4am and wait in line for three to four hours for a token. Only then by chance will you get it and wait again for another three to four hours for your turn. Why is this not a serious problem for the Pakistanis? We know our systems are very poor, but in other countries, like at the consulate in the UAE, it’s worst. I hope someone will read my comments from our consulate and take this seriously. I just want to see more organisation and learning renewal processes from other countries.
From Imran
Sharjah
Website comment
More to it
I used to drive a truck back in the 1980s and aside from the sheer neglect of the drivers; I am not sure how the truck can be sitting there for a whole month without being noticed (‘Abandoned truck dripping rancid chicken juice,’ Gulf News, September 26). There must be more to this smelly story! Nowadays trucks have GPS systems and truck stops are a known destination by drivers. When a 40-foot container is sitting idle for a couple of days, believe me, it won’t go unnoticed!
From Mr Chuck Thomas
Spokane, United States
Website comment
A lesson learnt
The owner should pay the driver at least some, if not all of what the driver requested. Although this was the driver’s mistake and he should not act in this way, he has taught a lesson to the greedy owners. Nowadays it is happening everywhere and nobody cares for the poor or low-income people.
Having the mindset that every person is just for himself is not correct. We are all human beings and we should try to understand the situations and feelings of others and try to think of them when making decisions. We should not think only of our profits. If you are only thinking about yourself, you will always lose in the end.
From Mr Ali
Dubai
Website comment
A big loss
Just to save a few hundred dollars, the company owner has to face more than just a loss of $80,000 (Dh294,000) of goods. Apart from the government now having to spend thousands of dollars to clear the mess and safeguard the environment, the actual loss of more than 16783kg of chicken meat, which could have fed thousands of starving people is really disappointing. This is a real crime against nature, the environment and humanity that has been committed by both the truck driver and the owner of the company.
From Mr Rizwan Kazi
Dubai
Website comment
Editors’ note: Is there a news report that you feel strongly about? Something that has to be addressed in the community and requires resolution? Email us on readers@ gulfnews.com. You can also post a comment on our Facebook page or tweet us @GNReaders.
