THE black box findings of the ill-fated flight PK-661 made independent of CAA and PIA published and telecast on TV channels are baffling. I am no aviation expert but to me it seems that apart from the captain and his crew, an airhostess was also in the cockpit.

She was contacting the control tower rather than the three flight crew? Why was the captain quiet? Why did not the first officer go through the checklist which he should have done? Why didn’t the plane glide which, according to aircraft manufacturers, was possible even if engines were not working? Why did the plane turn south?

Now this report has been handed over to the aviation secretary who will appoint a JIT or form a commission to cook up a story and for CAA to shelve it in the archives.

The job, as usual, will be well done. People have died and all is a mystery like many things remain a mystery in our country. It is horrendous. Everything in our country has gone so berserk and preposterous that we are falling short of words to express. Can someone rectify these things and bring about an order in the affairs directly related to a common man? Or should we lease out this country to foreigners and our rulers should take a long nap?

Name withheld on request
Lahore

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2017