Accountancy Forum

Dr. Samia Khan Karachi referring to a recent Pakistan Railways advertisement appearing in the national press reading “Massage of public interest” instead of “message of public interest”, wonders if it was a proof read-reading mistake or in fact the Pakistan Railways was oficially offering “massage” service. I am sure this was not any proof reading mistake as many of our government organizations today are trying to expand their wings in different directions. For example Pakistan Railways recently showed its intent to build and run big hotels as if its own dinning car system has all been put at par excellence. The Karachi City Local Government has not turned any stone unturned in turning the Karachi into another Hong King but in that the real Karachi where people used to shop even midnight, where whole night traffic remained, is in memories only. People like highly learned Dr. Samia should not waste time and energy wondering on worthless things like importance of any proof reading reason being today we have 12 billion foreign exchange and stand in the list of top honored nations. As such none of us should even think of that anything written or drafted by our today’s functionaries appointed on high transparent merits nothing else than democratic merit would need any proof reading. If Dr. Saima or myself find “Massage” instead of “message” we should cast doubt on our own knowledge and ability. The proof reading was the practice of fool elders like me when we worked with manual Brother or Trumph 20-30 years old typewriters and were appointed on safarish. Today’s people work on computers and are recruited on pure and transparent merit hence their ability is above proof reading. The above reference by Dr. Samia is just from an advertisement. Two years back I filed a formal complaint with the Federal Ombudsman that one of senior official in his secretariat had got printed his D.O official letter head with wrong contact details which was a too serious matter as a wrong contact detail means definitely evaporating in thin air a communication which was too important in a justice delivering system. An incorrect contact results in defective service of notice/communication which can deprive a person form his due right. I prayed that since official letter heads are printed on expense of national exchequer to which every one of us contributes hence getting the letter head printed without “proof reading” is an act of mal administration. As such I prayed the whole cost of printing be recovered from the one who gave approval for final print. As is usual with us, since it was a matter of home accountability, my formal complaint was not entertained. However I got a short two line response that it was an error which is regretted. The nations standing on top of honoured nations, having 12 billion reserves and having inducted more than required doze of good governance do not require any proof readings as every one is sitting on the chair appointed with due merit today. Just today this 14 August 2009 the morning of the day when our nation was born, still the honourable sindh ombudsman website of course constructed on huge expense of we the nation is showing his address as Benevolent Fund Building, Zero Point Islamabad instead of Karachi where it practically is – reason being as it appears that the text was copied from somewhere (probably from Federal Ombudsman website) and pasted it as it is without caring to read and amend the entries which do not relate to them. Why should had anyone cared to proof read that from the copied material that things like mailing address, fax number and email numbers relating to others from copy paste are deleted and own inserted [See attached scanned print out taken today 14 August 2009].