Another former envoy to SL makes news, in Pakistan

Another former envoy to Sri Lanka, Pakistan's Retired Major General Saad Kattak is also making news, in a different area.

The Hindi-Urdu phrase Aam Aadmi means common man or 'Average Joe'. For Sri Lankans, the closest equivalent could be 'Simple Simon' or 'Citizen Silva'.

When India's anti-corruption crusader Arvind Kejriwal in 2012 formed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Congress Party protested, pointing out that the term Aam Aadmi was synonymous with Congress and the party had been using it to coin catchy slogans to win elections since 1885. In 2004, the Congress Party’s general-election winning slogan was Congress ka Haath, Aam Aadmi ke Saath -- "the hand (symbol) of the Congress is with the common man". Undeterred, Mr. Kejriwal went ahead with the name, contested elections and became the chief minister of Delhi. Since 2015, the AAP has been in control of the Indian capital territory.

Last week, Aam Aadmi made news in neighbouring Pakistan when Retired Maj Gen Saad Khattak, who after his retirement from military service served as Pakistan's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka till September last year, announced the launch of the Pakistan Aam Aadmi Movement (PAAM).