Fahd Husain’s column [May 23] highlights, sadly, yet again the institution and character flaws inherent in managing public transport safely in Pakistan.

Air crashes somehow evoke great anger, sympathy, heartaches and public comment, at least briefly. But many more lives are lost in buses, trains and other crashes, albeit with a painful regularity that has numbed our senses to these disasters.

Except for the AirBlue disaster, nothing has ever been published on our increasingly appalling air crash history. The world has standard protocols for how such disasters are to be investigated, by whom, using what tools, etc.

Only some peculiar cultural and social factors in Pakistan are different from the context of global aviation accidents.

Of these, cockpit crew dynamics and personalities, airline and operations room culture, safety ethos, and factors that affect them are worthy of particular attention. Interestingly, both the AirBlue crash and the PIA crash occurred when the pilots were reportedly observing a Shab-i-Barat and a Ramazan fast, which may itself be a first for any national airline.

If and when this investigation ever sees the light of day, it should not detract from the compelling and urgent need for a highly professional National Transport Safety Board, preferably started with technical expertise from abroad rather than men in uniform and staffed by competent technical and managerial personnel. Its job is gargantuan but it may at least signal that the government, for once, is actually concerned about saving precious human lives.

Prof Wasif M Khan

Lahore

(2)

I WAS saddened by the fate that befell the ill-fated aircraft that crashed over a residential area of Model Colony claiming scores of lives and causing the destruction of dozens of homes.

What make the tragedy even more disheartening are the reports circulating on social media of some people present at the scene trying to get away with the victims’ personal belongings. If there is any substance in these reports, then it is a matter of great shame for this nation.

Jaffar Naqvi

Karachi

(3)

THE plunging of a PIA plane into a densely populated residential area in Karachi resulting in the loss of precious lives and destruction of several homes is indeed a tragedy. The loss of precious lives cannot be compensated or comprehend simply by condolence messages.

The best way to avoid a similar catastrophe in the future would be to thoroughly investigate and analyse the reasons for this tragedy and set up SOPs to ensure it is never repeated.

A good beginning can be made by making the inquiry report of the crash public so that input can be elicited from all segments of society.

Shahzad Mirza

Burewala

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2020