They do say that where there is a will, there is a way. And that desperate times call for desperate measures.
As many cities in Pakistan continue to sizzle under the full glare of the summer heat, ordinary people are being literally left out to dry. The politicians want us to know that all is well, but the reality is something else altogether.
Nothing drives this point home than a few pictures that are being widely circulated over social media and Whatsapp. Let’s take a look at them first:
Us Pakistanis like to pride ourselves on our ‘jugaars’ (shortcuts) and that also seems to be the case when it comes to creative ways of beating the heat.
ATMs are for more than just withdrawing whatever little money our bank accounts hold. But did you know they also happen to have fully functional air-conditioners? It was only a matter of time before some enterprising souls put two and two together, and decided to camp in one.
Call it genius or something that was right under our very noses, but some students decided to make the most of the situation and beat the heat (literally).
If you pay attention to the picture, you could make out at least two people who are ‘chilling’ inside the ATM. And to ensure that no one disturbs their AC-filled sojourn at the ATM, they decided to put their literary skills to use by slapping an ‘Out of Service’ message for others passing by.
Their attempt at hiding in plain sight, while cute, didn’t really hold for that much longer. Even though people say that there’s strength in numbers, in this particular case this ‘strength’ made their attempts at stealth virtually useless.
But hey, bonus points for at least trying and getting some much needed ‘thandi hawa’ in while they could right?
It seems that the students were also accompanied by a security guard or two; joining in and getting their slice of AC heaven when they can.
And as it is with most folks with these days, if there ain’t a selfie to mark the occasion, it probably didn’t happen in the first place. Some citizens from Karachi decided to do away with the pretense and flaunt their newfound ‘azadi’ inside an ATM machine.
One can’t help but wonder why is it that only HBL ATMs are preferred by the common man to partake in some cool and refreshing air. Unlike their customer service, those ACs in the ATMs work as intended.
Note: While you may have come across these pictures with differing captions, they still illustrate one thing pretty clearly. Do you have it what it takes to beat the heat in 40 degree plus temperatures?
Have you seen people in your vicinity do the same? Or have you done it yourself? Sound off in the comments below!