things that never change # 342: crank calls
Things that will never change in Pakistan, no matter which city you live in: the post-12 am crank calls. You pick up the receiver, say a random hello. The voice at the other end sounds oily, and you try to place it in vain as he breathes a “heaylo”. You ask “aap ko kiss say baat karnee hai?” (“Who do you wish to speak to?”), and get the one reply you’ve been dreading: “aap say” (“with you!”) The introduction of CLI has drastically decreased the number of crank calls that you get on your landline atleast, but now there’s a more harassing, stubborn breed of people hell-bent on talking to you at ungodly hours of the night, even on cellphones where you can easily track them down. I guess the latter’s not a threat as such for them anymore.
Everyone has their own way of dealing with the particular string of calls that follow the inevitable first hanging up. What’s yours?
playing along a little ;)
Well it sounds irritating but sometimes it is the only fun that many people can afford in our dear country. Although this phenomenon is common in both sides but only men seems to be involved in this act due to the higher proportion in our society.
I do like such calls that I love to talk people in need.
Shukar kareen you have crank calls. We have em legalised over here in Yurp. Imagine you get a call 10am in the morning selling you life insurance or a trip to Hawaii or a subscription to khawateen kay magazine. Thats more annoying.
Lahoris being ‘badtameez’ while driving. I think this is something that will never change. On my latest trip to Lahore, I could only see and hang my head in shame when people would not repsect a red traffic light and would not drive in lanes and the most ridiculous thing is when the 15th person in the line would start honking his horn when the light turns amber,as if people in front of him are there to stand on the road all day long
What a pity!
Funny situation is when some how lines are crossed and you get the same call over and over again. Finally you have to hang up for the call to be diverted to the correct number. What ever happened to the digital revolution……………….
If you’ve got a Symbian/Palm/PocketPC cellphone, get a call filtering software to do the job for you. I got one on my Palm phone, and whenever I get a crank call, I add the number to the “Do Not Disturb” list, so when a call from that number comes up again, it automatically gets answered and hung up. Haha! I wonder how much bills those guys have run up with!
This is not related to the topic, but i just read somewhere that an IMAX theatre was being built in Lahore. Anyone know when it’s opening??
i beleive the Imax was being built right next to zouk but the government suddenly decided to wake up and put a ban on that project for some reason. its at a standstill for now .. lets see