A dinner invitation package by Air Chief Marshal

Open Letter to Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman by Mr. Naeem Sadiq

Dear Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman,

Thank you for inviting me and my wife for a dinner on 6th October 2009 at the PAF Museum. I deeply regret that I would be away from the city on that day, and would not be able to join you at the dinner.

The invitation is accompanied by a set of nine documents, plastic cards, stamps, envelopes and metal clips. These are:

  1. A map of the location and entry points
  2. A self addressed envelope for acknowledgement
  3. A four rupee stamp
  4. A printed card that has various options stated on it, such as I will come alone, with wife or will not be able to attend.
  5. A large invitation card stating that the Air Chief Marshal wishes to invite you for a dinner.
  6. A laminated plastic card that has my name printed in bold letters
  7. A small zip lock plastic bag containing a metal clip. This clip can be removed from the bag and assembled with the plastic card so that one may display one’s name on the chest pocket.
  8. A TCS envelope containing all these materials. (TCS charges Rs.50 for delivery within city and Rs.120 for delivery outside the city.)
  9. A yellow printed car parking ticket


I guess that this entire package and the logistics for its preparation and delivery would cost approximately Rs 200 per invitation package. Assuming that it was sent to some 1000 guests, it would mean that the PAF would have spent Rs 200,000 on the invitation cards alone. The dinner itself would be a separate story.

A week before the receipt of this card, I received a phone call from PAF Base Faisal to confirm if I would be able to attend the dinner or not. I politely regretted and knowing the cost and complexity of the invitation package insisted that I may not be sent any invitation card, as it would amount to waste of public money.

Dear Air Chief Marshal. Pakistan is in a state of war. Pakistan is under a debt of 52 billion dollars. Pakistan has no electricity to full time run its factories. The list is endless. Perhaps in circumstances like these, every penny spent from the tax payers’ money needs to be carefully considered and controlled.

You may reconsider both the need and the manner of having such dinners and invitations. While the armed forces must continue to maintain good traditions, they should be conspicuous by their dignity, simplicity and low cost.

Kind regards
Naeem Sadiq


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27 responses to “A dinner invitation package by Air Chief Marshal”

  1. Assad Avatar

    well when my dad was in air force he used to get a invitation letter filled with a card as mention in point 4 above, a stamp and a car park sticker and obviously the invitation card … That was when ACM Mushaf Ali Mir and ACM Kaleem Sadat was in command.. but this is strange that a TCS envelope, A small zip lock plastic bag containing a metal clip….i mean first u r giving postal stamps and then a tcs envelope…???????????????

    why?..

    -Assad
    http://www.astroaviator.com

  2. Nakodari Avatar

    Ditto! A beautifully written reply with a strong message.

  3. Touseef Ikram Avatar

    only if the Air Chief Marshal read it.

  4. dr jawwad khan Avatar
    dr jawwad khan

    DOESN'T MATTER FOR ANOTHER SON OF A GUN….

    These goons give a damn about these letters…

    zardaris,shareefs,gilanis,kiyanis,and raos…they all belong to the rulling elites.and i hate all these bastards.

  5. YAA Avatar
    YAA

    Naeem Sadiq is ex Air Force, was a PAF Engineer from the Maintenance Branch if I recall correctly.

    Such invitations are standard, and government mail is exempted of mailing charges as “On Pakistan State Service” is written on the envelope. 6th October is the convenient date arrived at this year to celebrate the of 7th of September Air Force Day. Hence the invitation.TCS envelope if at all must be a deviation in procedure or some extenuating circumstances. He has woken up to these standard procedures after many years or there is something else that I have not yet figured out. I also received this telephone call and had declined due to my tour abroad. The occasion has to be celebrated in a befitting manner or not at all.

    Even in wars soldiers take time out. They bury a lot of their gallant colleagues who die fighting for the Nation and extend their life next on the roll. Those who die gallantly are recognized as heroes and they are trend setters whose glorious acts are recalled on such occasions, a little relief to them from their challenging life is good for morale of the fighting corps.

    Naeem Sadiq need not remind the Air Chief of what is the state of Pakistan and its economy and dignity of such events and how they are to be celebrated. There is hardly anything to celebrate. He should keep his own dignity and respectfully decline, but there is no need to make an issue out of it, as he seems to have intended.

    Rgds

  6. dr jawwad khan Avatar
    dr jawwad khan

    "Pakistan is under a debt of 52 billion dollars. Pakistan has no electricity to full time run its factories. The list is endless. Perhaps in circumstances like these, every penny spent from the tax payers’ money needs to be carefully considered and controlled"

    i believe that there is no active duty service man in armed forces to say it on face….

    what we have are "ji hazooriyay" covering the shit with the lame excuses.i don't see any future…

  7. Unaiza Fatima Avatar
    Unaiza Fatima

    I think the armed forces should shed off their uniforms too with all costly badges, and start wearing shalwar kameez with paper stickers to idetify the ranks. This should save a lot of money too. See all other countries in the world, rich and poor, whether at war and at peace, do the same, so why shouldn't we. I can guarantee, this one move will off load all our debts and woes. Try is must.

  8. Unaiza Fatima Avatar
    Unaiza Fatima

    dr jawwadkhan

    Why forget the biggest of all bastards, the JIC?

  9. dr jawwad khan Avatar
    dr jawwad khan

    "See all other countries in the world, rich and poor, whether at war and at peace, do the same"

    really? for example rich country like america and por country like india?

    do you really know the living standards of chinese presedent and PM after independance?

    do you have any idea of corruption above brigadier level in army?…MQM is enjoying its honey moon with america and its american agents(pakistani generals) what make you begani shadi men abdullah dewana?

    bigest of all bastards is the one who loves Qadiyanis and Qadiyaniat. that is for sure…i swear 🙂

  10. Unaiza Fatima Avatar
    Unaiza Fatima

    Jawwad ji

    Do you have ANY sense of sarcasm?

  11. Unaiza Fatima Avatar
    Unaiza Fatima

    jawwad ji

    "bigest of all bastards is the one who loves Qadiyanis and Qadiyaniat. that is for sure…i swear :)"

    Mullahs like Mufti Mehmood, Molana Noorani, and prof Ghafoor signed the constitution that not only declares Qadiyanis as "non-muslims" (article 260, Constitution of Pakistan) but also gave right to practice and propagate his religion to every citizen of Pakistan (Article 20, Constitution of Pakistan). By signing this constitution, these mullahs themselves declared qadianis as "non-muslims" only rather than "zandeeqs" or "murtids", and gave them full constitutional right to propagate their falsehood. What else can be a greater show of love to qadianis?…and now you are finally calling these creatures as bastards…good job Jawwad Ji 🙂

  12. Unaiza Fatima Avatar
    Unaiza Fatima

    These qadianis are now enjoying a constitutional right to flourish and propagate…thanks to those biggest of all bastards!

  13. patriot Avatar
    patriot

    @Unaiza. LOL. well said. Unaiza what does JIC stand for? justice iftikhar ch? correct me if i am wrong.

  14. Unaiza Fatima Avatar
    Unaiza Fatima

    Patriot

    The JIC is a historical character, the first ever Chief Justice in history as far as I know, whether right or wrong, who held the seat at the zenith of a highly politicized judicial system of a country – through agitation and street voilence.

  15. Kamran Avatar
    Kamran

    "Pakistan is in a state of war. Pakistan is under a debt of 52 billion dollars."

    Now we know why we are in debt.

  16. dr jawwad khan Avatar
    dr jawwad khan

    NO i don't have…but i have a good sense of humor.

    humor for the state of faith/eiman in the lovers of MQM.

    especially when i see the mokery with a recorded history.

    which make you forget that it was semi socialist and liberal zulifiqar ali bhutto's decision endorsed by majority of liberals assembly members of PPP who passed the bill not "mullah" in minority..kindly do some justice with your education.

    and what make you so irritate?

    are you suggesting that mullah should have declared them zindiq and send them all in the concentration camp?

    or you people developed a new love for Qadiyanis? ironically i found your post sarcastic one over the hatred of muslim diaspora for the qadiyanis.

    who are you people? qadiyani,shia or liberal fascist?

  17. MB Avatar

    SOMETHING RELATED:
    http://www.jang.com.pk/jang/sep2009-daily/16-09-2

    3 million rupees per day is TOOOOOO MUCH for GOD sake !!

  18. Adnan Khan Avatar
    Adnan Khan

    "Naeem Sadiq need not remind the Air Chief of what is the state of Pakistan and its economy and dignity of such events and how they are to be celebrated. There is hardly anything to celebrate. He should keep his own dignity and respectfully decline, but there is no need to make an issue out of it, as he seems to have intended."

    Mr YAA, why should Nadeem keep quiet when something wrong is happening? If there is hardly anything to celebrate as you say, why spend 200,000 on invitations? Why can't we point out mistakes to our leaders? Why make a taboo out of it? Why not stand up and say what is right?

    I think you, and all the other conservatives need to change the way you think.

  19. dr jawwad khan Avatar
    dr jawwad khan

    "If there is hardly anything to celebrate as you say, why spend 200,000 on invitations?"

    good question.

  20. Pakistan Customizabl Avatar

    “Pakistan is under a debt of 52 billion dollars. Pakistan has no electricity to full time run its factories. The list is endless. Perhaps in circumstances like these, every penny spent from the tax payers’ money needs to be carefully considered and controlled”

  21. Salman Asghar Avatar

    what a pathetic post!!

    making no issue an issue is the hobby of our nation!

    remove ur cloths and take just one single peace cloth, it will save some money.

  22. Imran Ali Avatar

    Wow! This is a no issue to some of us, no matter Pakistan is a Nation with no vision left, never in my life i have voted but my vote goes for United India now.

  23. Oz Avatar
    Oz

    Mr. Naeem Sadiq, If you really want to save this country some money..the president house is in Islamabad…Rs. 200,000/- is probably the cost of a *burp* at a dinner hosted at the presidential house… 😛

  24. no name Avatar
    no name

    i m in big shittt because of some loseeer i love my country but hate those who hate it i was thinking to walk on right track every one will be fare with u but i realy need help from some one who is there to help me from armed forces who is on top of top…………………………………….

  25. Sadia Avatar

    We all are our selves hypocrite and actually we dont our self want to change system, we dont want to change our self but desire people must change them self. We dont miss opportunity our self but ready to abuse Shareef's, Zardari's, Gillani's Qureshi's Shah's, Peers etc etc. Actually we did not their corruption but we are against why they got opportunity and why not I.

    IF WE ARE HONEST then why students cheat in exams, why we dont miss even to bring pencil from office, papers, we dont miss official penny, why we let our office AC's keep on, why we use official cars for begum sahiba and for our lovely kids etc Last but not least we even try to decieve Allah by doing wrongs and then giving black hen in the way of Allah…..We cant change our self so do expect others to change

  26. Faisy Avatar

    I'm agree with Naeem Sadiq.