Faridinama

Here is a funny story.

A friend of mine went to Rawalpindi sadar last week to buy a Chinese phone (the one that costs nothing but has all the features possible in any phone). He stopped over the AWT Plaza to draw some cash from the Askari Bank ATM installed there (hint: AWT = Army Welfare Trust = close relative of Askari Bank). He was interrupted by a guard when he tried to walk through the gate (the gate that is used by cars to get into the parking lot and not the entry door to the building which is still ahead).

This is how the conversation went:

Guard: Sir, you can’t enter from here.

Friend: Why?

Guard: Don’t you see the sign on the wall?

Friend: What sign?

Guard: (quiet)

Friend: (after looking around frantically in blistering heat) You mean the OUT sign?

Guard: Yes, sir. This the OUT gate. You must enter from the IN gate.

Friend: (confused) But the sign is for cars and I am on foot.

Guard: No arguments, sir. You can only get in from the IN gate.

Some arguments did follow but naturally (this is cantonment area so you can imagine) my colleague ended up walking to the other end of the wall to enter through the IN gate.

You don’t believe it? I didn’t either at first but then another friend went through the same experience just a day before this writing. I guess we forget that we live in a country that is owned by the Army (and not vice versa). If they say no entry for the pedestrians from the OUT gate usually meant for cars then who are we to question their orders? At least they are treating us equal, albeit with cars.

Below is the front view of AWT Plaza. It’s from 2006, the golden days when people were allowed to freely walk into the parking lot through the OUT gate. Interesting note: Check out Brigadier sahib’s Jeep parked (with no driver) in the middle of the road. And I thought only great managers broke all the rules. Get a larger picture here.

Someone seems to be too fond of AWT Plaza. View the building from all different angles.