I HAVE an old English book titled Idioms and Phrases by Sam Philips. It was published by the Goodwill Publishing House which is in New Delhi. It was bought a few years ago at a meager price of Rs81.

On page 216 of the book there is an idiom I wanted to share – ‘Sheep that have no shepherd’ (helpless crowd). It further says: “Pakistani people are sheep that have no shepherd.”

I request the Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan to take this matter up with the printers so such things will not be published in subsequent editions of the book.

Shafique Ahmed

Karachi

Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2019