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President Alvi and his boat are 'ready' after Islamabad's urban floods

President Alvi and his boat are 'ready' after Islamabad's urban floods

The president made a comment on Twitter in good humour but some people don't think it was appropriate.
29 Jul, 2021

The president's boat has made a comeback. Last seen during the 2017 urban floods in Karachi, President Arif Alvi recently promised to bring his infamous boat back into service for Islamabad after the city was hit by urban floods.

Islamabad experienced urban flooding in many areas after a cloud burst caused an unusually large amount of rainfall. The sweeping waters resulted in the death of a mother and child in sector E-11. Videos of cars being swept away by torrents of water on the streets of Islamabad have been widely shared on social media.

In response to the urban disaster, President Alvi offered his personal services in aid of his citizens — including the offer to bring out the same boat he used in Karachi as an MNA. Alvi had gone around on the boat to assist people during the urban flooding in Karachi in 2017.

"Islamabad is my city just like Karachi and all other lovely cities of Pakistan," he recently wrote on Twitter. "I am confident that Islamabad's administration are doing their job well but if need be, I am ready with my boat."

The president might have posted the joke after catching wind of Twitter remembering his boat and thinking it might have been useful during the present situation in Islamabad. "Islamabad is desperately looking for Arif Alvi and his boat," a user commented on Twitter.

Twitter users brought out their creative sides to tease the president for his boat.

"The brave hero of Karachi is on a rescue mission in Islamabad," one user wrote.

Many told their friends to rent the boat from President Alvi in case they needed it for personal use around the city.

One user asked if his boat was ready for action in other cities of Pakistan as well. After all, he's not just the president of Karachi and Islamabad.

Not a lot of people were able to see humour in President Alvi's comment though, especially given the seriousness of the situation in Islamabad at the moment.

"Should you really be joking at a time like this or feel shameful that this happened under your watch?" replied comedian Shehzad Ghias to Alvi's post. "Don't say anything if you can't offer support to the victims."

Others were quick to remind him that lives were lost during the floods, and this really wasn't the time or place to make a joke like this.

While we appreciate the president's intentions to bring some cheer in times of hardship, the light-hearted quip could have come at a more appropriate time. During these difficult times people are looking for a lot more than just a boat from their government.

Comments

usman Jul 29, 2021 04:27pm
Why are we creating hype for his good gesture? All people who said that he is joking than the mind of those people need detoxication.
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Fast comment Jul 29, 2021 04:40pm
The ‘boat’ here’s in lighter mode. There are many phrases in Urdu which refer boat as rescue activity. Anyway those having limited knowledge can express their thoughts, it’s OK.
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Badtameez Kudi Jul 29, 2021 04:47pm
He should have stuck with fixing teeth.
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Asad Jul 29, 2021 04:58pm
Good that people of Islamabad did not elect you because you have not made Karachi as a good standard for rest of Pakistan.
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Sam Jul 29, 2021 05:47pm
Can we ask the root cause question of why did the drainage system fail? Illegal construction and poor maintenance is what needs to be addressed. Being ready with a boat shouldn't exonerate the leaders.
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sidC Jul 29, 2021 05:52pm
He is man without conscious .
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saj Jul 29, 2021 06:03pm
handful of wannabe elites trying to get attention on twitter. this article was a waste of time
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Justice Jul 29, 2021 06:25pm
Alvi always in the news for wrong reasons. Few days ago it was Tik Tok, now this..
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Amjad Durrani Engineer USA Jul 29, 2021 06:32pm
Our country is the best country in the world. We are swimming in perpetual misery be it lack of control on cost of basic needs, low literacy rates and nonexistent health facilities, floods, unemployment, water scarcity looming in near future & worsening economic conditions for majority of people & our President is the best president in the world. We have larger mangoes and better cotton & corrupt politicians & their lackeys living luxuriously on eating away public funds. This makes us the greatest corrupt country in the world. Unemployment is a myth. Bad economy is propaganda. Poor governance is acceptable. Mismanagement in public institution is normal. Dissatisfaction is a fable. Twenty five million children out of school because of no facilities normal. In events of flash floods people are left their own. It is the gem of the ocean & it is too bad. It is bad because people believe it all. Because they become indifferent. Because they marry & reproduce & vote & they know nothing.
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Nidz Jul 29, 2021 06:36pm
Superman to the rescue
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Rao Jul 29, 2021 06:42pm
one politician is speaking the truth
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Syed Ghazanfar Abbas Jul 29, 2021 07:53pm
President's advisors should have briefed him that total affected area was 300 square metres and a 200 meter double road strip.
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Ibrahim S Jul 29, 2021 08:03pm
I am waiting to get about the formation of “a body” to investigate the reason of flooding . Soon PM IK with show up with larger than life poster to share his solution to the drainage problem ( as he is expert in everything)
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Truth be told Jul 29, 2021 08:05pm
@Asad agreed.
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Truth be told Jul 29, 2021 08:07pm
@saj recently Dawn is doing it very frequently. It appears there's a truckload of recent hires who have barely walked outside of their drawing rooms ever and are totally reliant on Google for everything.
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Chrís Dăn Jul 29, 2021 08:09pm
I love Alvi. This intelligent guy is full of life.
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Chrís Dăn Jul 29, 2021 08:10pm
@Fast comment exactly.
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Chrís Dăn Jul 29, 2021 08:10pm
@Badtameez Kudi this is 21st century.
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Al Jul 30, 2021 12:04am
Did Sharif ever even fly his own helicopter?
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