Khafee
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Good to see people sarcastically thrashing lundai ka tarek fateh and sasta hussain haqqani @Syed.Ali.Haider on this thread
Pakistan isn’t banana republic, it’s absurdistan
- Thread starter VCheng
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Khafee
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Along the same veins of absurdity:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1361777/no-room-for-the-truth
No room for the truth
I.A. Rehman Updated October 05, 2017
The lover of the wine cup who blurts out the truth in a state of abandon is better than the jurisconsult who seeks refuge in expediency.
— Zafar Ali Khan
MUCH water has flown under the bridge, assuming that what flows into the Ravi these days is water, since Khawaja Asif began to be lambasted for speaking truthfully about some of the problems that involvement in the Afghanistan conflict has saddled Pakistan with. This is not surprising. Indeed, it only confirms Bulleh Shah’s axiom that when the truth is out, a commotion must follow.
What is surprising, and quite painful, is the fact that not many people have had the courage to speak in support of the foreign minister. Barring a couple of rational comments, the media overwhelmingly joined the chorus of calumny. While the minister’s party members chose to discover the virtues of silence, the opposition stalwarts jumped at the opportunity to play to the gallery. The Foreign Office’s clarification that the minister’s statement had been quoted out of context amounted to denying him credit for being honest.
The affair will sooner or later be superseded by another meaningless controversy. What should not be forgotten is the bitter reality that the habit of denial has found a permanent place in the minds of Pakistanis.
The terrible consequences of living in denial are well known. By denying a fact that is known to many, if not to everyone, you invite being called a knave or a liar, or both. Worse, persistent denial will more often than not convince you that the problem is not real. And you cannot try to solve a problem if you believe that it does not exist. Subsequently, you may become aware of your mistake, but by then, the issue might have become insolvable or the cost of setting matters right unaffordable.
This is also what has happened in the case of Balochistan. Persistent refusal to see the real causes of discontent in that province from the point of view of its people, and attempts to force the latter to sing patriotic songs under the shadow of bayonets, have made all parties sink deeper and deeper into despair. A fair settlement of Balochistan’s grievances that seemed possible 40 years ago has been made almost impossible by preferring falsehood to the truth.
There is, however, a need to take up with Khawaja Asif the question of the manner in which the truth, especially of the unwelcome variety, can be told most effectively. He is known for speaking in unnecessarily high tones and often off the cuff. This style won’t help him as foreign ministers are expected to be firm without appearing to be unreasonable. They should be able to convey the most bitter of messages after coating it with sugar. The reason is obvious: truth’s hardest blows will have no effect on those steeped in falsehood, whereas a persuasive rendering of the truth can at least make the other party reflect on what it has been told.
But where does a Pakistani politician acquire the art of speaking persuasively? Unfortunately, our party platforms have become notorious for being used only to abuse rivals, and our legislatures are rarely treated to insightful speeches that could command the respect of both friend and critic. It is difficult for anyone to pick up the finer points of parliamentary oratory if assembly proceedings are reduced to the glorification of one’s own labours and the demonisation of the other. It is necessary — not only for the pleasure of listening to a finely worded address but also for making democratic norms stronger — that parliamentary debates be made thematically richer and the scope of discussion extended to include whatever is relevant.
Maybe, the Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services should do something in this regard. This useful institution has attracted notice with the latest issue of its periodical publication, Parliamentary Research Digest, for July-August 2017.
The slim newsletter tells us of an event described as parliamentary dialogue on ‘youth building peace’ held on Aug 8 this year. The participants included members of parliament, academics, diplomats and students from 25 universities and colleges from different parts of the country. Making our youth familiar with parliament’s working is a sound method of deepening democracy. In fact, there is much to be said for taking all students on the opening day of each academic year to a national or local hero’s monument, a democratic institution (from union council office to provincial assembly to parliament) and/or a historical/ anthropological museum. Children should start learning about their identity, their history and democratic governance as early in life as possible.
The next feature is a recollection of the proceedings of the constituent assembly of Pakistan on Aug 10, 11 and 12, 1947, including the Quaid’s historic address on being elected president of the assembly. This is followed by the report of a function held on Aug 10-11, 2017, to celebrate parliament as Pakistan turned 70. Finally, one finds a refreshing though preliminary paper on ‘gender-responsive budgeting’, a subject that is most relevant to Pakistan and yet very rarely discussed. The writer offers us useful examples of how the subject is addressed in Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka and India.
In a country where state institutions seldom win approval for their labours, this institution deserves to be commended. And that is why it is asked to develop as rich as possible a library of books, videos and films on parliamentary practices where our legislators could, individually and collectively, equip themselves with the means of making their debates livelier, informative and educative and thus advance the conventions of democracy more effectively. They will help make the truth more palatable and also establish a tradition of facing it squarely.
Published in Dawn, October 5th, 2017
VCheng
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Despite the khareesh infestation here, the absurdities keep bubbling up to the surface:
So it is only when security improves that the hard prong in charge now will relinquish charge to the soft prong? Interesting concept, that. Let us reflect on that a bit and figure out the repercussions, including the perverse incentive never to let security improve in order to retain the hold on power. (I hope the good General realizes he just confirmed the very narrative he sought to refute.
)
This military priapism can only end in gangrene.
So it is only when security improves that the hard prong in charge now will relinquish charge to the soft prong? Interesting concept, that. Let us reflect on that a bit and figure out the repercussions, including the perverse incentive never to let security improve in order to retain the hold on power. (I hope the good General realizes he just confirmed the very narrative he sought to refute.
)This military priapism can only end in gangrene.
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Areesh
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VCheng
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What could be more absurd than a nuclear-armed country where people wonder who is in charge?
https://www.dawn.com/news/1361935/whos-in-charge
Who’s in charge?
Editorial Updated October 06, 2017
A deepening unease in the country needs to be addressed head-on by the civil and military leaderships.
Who is in charge of Pakistan? How much of the governmental paralysis is self-inflicted? Is the military willing to not just accept its constitutional limits but also support the civilian apparatus unconditionally? How will Pakistan respond to increasingly pointed criticism by the US of the military and the ISI’s alleged ties to militant groups?
The answers to those and several other questions may well determine if Pakistan stays a democratic course or once again tumbles towards political chaos and military ascendancy. The disqualification of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif from holding public office was an undeniable jolt to the political order, but it did not have to escalate into the systemic crisis that is apparent today. All sides must bear some responsibility for the present impasse.
Certainly, Mr Sharif and his PML-N have committed a number of missteps. From the unsatisfactory responses to legitimate questions by the Supreme Court about the Sharif family’s wealth and assets to the unwillingness to accept the binding legality of Mr Sharif’s ouster, the PML-N appears to have put the personal interests of the former prime minister ahead of the demands of the democratic order.
Indeed, in the two months since Mr Sharif’s exit, the government has effectively stalled, there being no clarity about where the locus of power lies and the prime minister’s office reduced to an afterthought. Responsibility for that must primarily lie with the PML-N.
However, other elements have played a role too. It had been hoped that the Supreme Court would hand down a judgement that would not just be definitive, but also well argued and well grounded in the existing law, setting a sound precedent for future accountability cases. But that did not happen; instead, uncertainty has been spawned.
Yet, uncertainty regarding Mr Sharif’s fate would perhaps not have morphed into a systemic threat had the military leadership acted decisively to support the civilian order. The recent trip by army chief Gen Qamar Bajwa and DG ISI Gen Naveed Mukhtar was a positive and necessary step, but how difficult would it have been to ensure more senior participation by the civilian apparatus than that of the foreign secretary?
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif is touring the US at a time when the Trump administration is increasingly threatening action against the ISI. Would a joint civil-military front in the US have been so difficult to ensure?
Finally, there is the political opposition that is as opportunistic as ever. Unwilling and unable to learn the lessons of history, the opposition, in its keenness to defeat the PML-N, appears eager to draw the military leadership deeper into the political morass. If democrats do not defend democracy, then for how much longer can a shaky democratic order stumble on?
Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2017
https://www.dawn.com/news/1361935/whos-in-charge
Who’s in charge?
Editorial Updated October 06, 2017
A deepening unease in the country needs to be addressed head-on by the civil and military leaderships.
Who is in charge of Pakistan? How much of the governmental paralysis is self-inflicted? Is the military willing to not just accept its constitutional limits but also support the civilian apparatus unconditionally? How will Pakistan respond to increasingly pointed criticism by the US of the military and the ISI’s alleged ties to militant groups?
The answers to those and several other questions may well determine if Pakistan stays a democratic course or once again tumbles towards political chaos and military ascendancy. The disqualification of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif from holding public office was an undeniable jolt to the political order, but it did not have to escalate into the systemic crisis that is apparent today. All sides must bear some responsibility for the present impasse.
Certainly, Mr Sharif and his PML-N have committed a number of missteps. From the unsatisfactory responses to legitimate questions by the Supreme Court about the Sharif family’s wealth and assets to the unwillingness to accept the binding legality of Mr Sharif’s ouster, the PML-N appears to have put the personal interests of the former prime minister ahead of the demands of the democratic order.
Indeed, in the two months since Mr Sharif’s exit, the government has effectively stalled, there being no clarity about where the locus of power lies and the prime minister’s office reduced to an afterthought. Responsibility for that must primarily lie with the PML-N.
However, other elements have played a role too. It had been hoped that the Supreme Court would hand down a judgement that would not just be definitive, but also well argued and well grounded in the existing law, setting a sound precedent for future accountability cases. But that did not happen; instead, uncertainty has been spawned.
Yet, uncertainty regarding Mr Sharif’s fate would perhaps not have morphed into a systemic threat had the military leadership acted decisively to support the civilian order. The recent trip by army chief Gen Qamar Bajwa and DG ISI Gen Naveed Mukhtar was a positive and necessary step, but how difficult would it have been to ensure more senior participation by the civilian apparatus than that of the foreign secretary?
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif is touring the US at a time when the Trump administration is increasingly threatening action against the ISI. Would a joint civil-military front in the US have been so difficult to ensure?
Finally, there is the political opposition that is as opportunistic as ever. Unwilling and unable to learn the lessons of history, the opposition, in its keenness to defeat the PML-N, appears eager to draw the military leadership deeper into the political morass. If democrats do not defend democracy, then for how much longer can a shaky democratic order stumble on?
Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2017
Indus Pakistan
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Khafee
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Rubbing salts on his wounds eh!Jali jali. Lundai kai tarek Fateh ki jali
A typo on an envelope, and you got your knickers in a bunch. Whats new?
Certainly not the monkey licking his wounds, and jumping at his masters every beck and call.
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Musafir117
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A little respect was left but after choosing Trumpy American are laughing stock in whole planet. I hope someday American realise their mistakes.
Why not start from Japan and Vietnam?
Why not start from Japan and Vietnam?
VCheng
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Game, set, match?
http://nation.com.pk/columns/07-Oct-2017/rules-of-the-game
Rules of the game
Afrasiab Khattak
The events taking place in Islamabad over the last few days leave no doubt about the aggravation of the crises in the state system of the country. The said crisis has reached a stage where it is too big to be swept under the carpet. Refusing ministers including the Minister Interior during a hearing of a case against Nawaz Sharif, former Prime Minister, and Ihsan Iqbal’s inability to hold responsibles accountable- supposedly working under his ministry- is a reflection of government’s weakening grip on power. Who will know better than the Minister Interior about the existence of “a state within the state”?
The contraction of civilian control over state system is accompanied by the expansion of military’s power. There is no vacuum for sure! The total exclusion of representatives of political government from the delegation visiting Kabul and the press conference by DG ISPR on Thursday show as to who is shaping/executing foreign policy of the country. In this situation which country will take the visit of Foreign Minister of Pakistan seriously? The ruthless and reckless campaign against Intelligence Bureau, the prime civilian intelligence agency, and its DG by certain political parties and media quarters epitomizes depth of rift within the system. The much-maligned Parliament is effectively sidelined.
Nonetheless, the call, a sane one, of the Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani for a grand national dialogue between the stack holders on the platform of Parliament was rejected or ignored by all and sundry. “Judicialization” of politics in the country has left the judiciary in tatters. Political leaders from both sides, government as well as opposition, have gone into survival mode. The political elite seems too incapacitated to launch an initiative for finding a way out of the crippling crises.
The ever-deepening divide between the civilian and military branches of state has paralyzed the system at a stage when it is in dire need to act and act wisely. The new US policy towards South Asia has drawn a red circle around Pakistan. Sensitive state institutions are publicly blamed for having connections with terrorist groups. As if this wasn’t enough, even closest international friends have called out Pakistan to act against violent extremist groups active in the country. Pakistan’s relation with three out of its four neighbors are frayed making substantial military deployment a necessity.
Furthermore, it is difficult to get a rational and objective analysis of the economic front as the government is making tall claims in bringing reforms and improvements in country’s economy. But the opposition is rubbishing such claims. Both sides have consensus on the fact that Pakistan will have to turn to IMF for a bailout shortly. In this situation, Pakistan can’t afford international isolation.
Despite all this, Pakistan can still put its house in order by starting the implementation of National Action Plan (NAP) and then confidently turn to meet global challenges. But unfortunately, the country seems to be moving in the reverse. The so-called political mainstreaming of the proscribed organizations is a case in point. De-radicalization projects the world over have specific rules and procedures. The militants renounce militant ideologies and strategies. First and foremost they are disarmed. But in the current case, the armed outfits even don’t pretend to be accepting any rules or procedures applied in the de-radicalization project. Some of them are preaching violence from their “political” platforms.
On the political front, one more challenge that the government needs to address on an emergency basis is the status of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). The government is yet to create a consensus among different stakeholders on the region’s status. Parliamentarians of the area have already staged a sit-in outside Parliament to register their protest against the delay in implementing FATA Reforms.
Also, there is zero effort to find a political solution to the bloody conflict in Balochistan. The problem is that the challenges mentioned above do not see a mention in the political discourse of the country. Years and years have been wasted in protests over the alleged rigging in elections of 2013 and making Nawaz Sharif ( him and him alone!) accountable due to the names of his children in the leaked Panama Papers. Instead of politically attacking the government on pressing policy issues the PTI led opposition groupings have been more focused on putschist strategies that have resulted in bitter and deep polarization.
The status quo is too toxic and explosive to be maintained indefinitely. Political leadership from both sides needs to rise to the occasion. Even now it isn’t too late to positively respond to the call given by the Senate Chairman for a national dialogue for putting the country back on track before the general elections to be held in the next year. Pakistan can take a fresh start with a consensus on a set of rules of the game. I remember the words of veteran Baloch leader Mir Ghous Bakhsh Bezjinjo, in 1977 in Hyderabad Jail. Mir Sahib had been a prominent football player at his young age and had also been a member of Ali Garh College’s football team in undivided India. He used to ask Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto to abide by rules of the game and not to twist the rules by using the state power. Mir Sahib warned ZAB that without rules there would be no game and he proved to be prophetic.
================================
Meanwhile, while the powers that be play their infernal games, this quote by Manto fits the predicament of the average citizen quite well, still:
http://nation.com.pk/columns/07-Oct-2017/rules-of-the-game
Rules of the game
Afrasiab Khattak
The events taking place in Islamabad over the last few days leave no doubt about the aggravation of the crises in the state system of the country. The said crisis has reached a stage where it is too big to be swept under the carpet. Refusing ministers including the Minister Interior during a hearing of a case against Nawaz Sharif, former Prime Minister, and Ihsan Iqbal’s inability to hold responsibles accountable- supposedly working under his ministry- is a reflection of government’s weakening grip on power. Who will know better than the Minister Interior about the existence of “a state within the state”?
The contraction of civilian control over state system is accompanied by the expansion of military’s power. There is no vacuum for sure! The total exclusion of representatives of political government from the delegation visiting Kabul and the press conference by DG ISPR on Thursday show as to who is shaping/executing foreign policy of the country. In this situation which country will take the visit of Foreign Minister of Pakistan seriously? The ruthless and reckless campaign against Intelligence Bureau, the prime civilian intelligence agency, and its DG by certain political parties and media quarters epitomizes depth of rift within the system. The much-maligned Parliament is effectively sidelined.
Nonetheless, the call, a sane one, of the Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani for a grand national dialogue between the stack holders on the platform of Parliament was rejected or ignored by all and sundry. “Judicialization” of politics in the country has left the judiciary in tatters. Political leaders from both sides, government as well as opposition, have gone into survival mode. The political elite seems too incapacitated to launch an initiative for finding a way out of the crippling crises.
The ever-deepening divide between the civilian and military branches of state has paralyzed the system at a stage when it is in dire need to act and act wisely. The new US policy towards South Asia has drawn a red circle around Pakistan. Sensitive state institutions are publicly blamed for having connections with terrorist groups. As if this wasn’t enough, even closest international friends have called out Pakistan to act against violent extremist groups active in the country. Pakistan’s relation with three out of its four neighbors are frayed making substantial military deployment a necessity.
Furthermore, it is difficult to get a rational and objective analysis of the economic front as the government is making tall claims in bringing reforms and improvements in country’s economy. But the opposition is rubbishing such claims. Both sides have consensus on the fact that Pakistan will have to turn to IMF for a bailout shortly. In this situation, Pakistan can’t afford international isolation.
Despite all this, Pakistan can still put its house in order by starting the implementation of National Action Plan (NAP) and then confidently turn to meet global challenges. But unfortunately, the country seems to be moving in the reverse. The so-called political mainstreaming of the proscribed organizations is a case in point. De-radicalization projects the world over have specific rules and procedures. The militants renounce militant ideologies and strategies. First and foremost they are disarmed. But in the current case, the armed outfits even don’t pretend to be accepting any rules or procedures applied in the de-radicalization project. Some of them are preaching violence from their “political” platforms.
On the political front, one more challenge that the government needs to address on an emergency basis is the status of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). The government is yet to create a consensus among different stakeholders on the region’s status. Parliamentarians of the area have already staged a sit-in outside Parliament to register their protest against the delay in implementing FATA Reforms.
Also, there is zero effort to find a political solution to the bloody conflict in Balochistan. The problem is that the challenges mentioned above do not see a mention in the political discourse of the country. Years and years have been wasted in protests over the alleged rigging in elections of 2013 and making Nawaz Sharif ( him and him alone!) accountable due to the names of his children in the leaked Panama Papers. Instead of politically attacking the government on pressing policy issues the PTI led opposition groupings have been more focused on putschist strategies that have resulted in bitter and deep polarization.
The status quo is too toxic and explosive to be maintained indefinitely. Political leadership from both sides needs to rise to the occasion. Even now it isn’t too late to positively respond to the call given by the Senate Chairman for a national dialogue for putting the country back on track before the general elections to be held in the next year. Pakistan can take a fresh start with a consensus on a set of rules of the game. I remember the words of veteran Baloch leader Mir Ghous Bakhsh Bezjinjo, in 1977 in Hyderabad Jail. Mir Sahib had been a prominent football player at his young age and had also been a member of Ali Garh College’s football team in undivided India. He used to ask Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto to abide by rules of the game and not to twist the rules by using the state power. Mir Sahib warned ZAB that without rules there would be no game and he proved to be prophetic.
================================
Meanwhile, while the powers that be play their infernal games, this quote by Manto fits the predicament of the average citizen quite well, still:
Khafee
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Mr.Manto RIP, seemed to have known the likes of you, quite well.
VCheng
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I cannot imagine the situation has improved any over the last two years for this disgraceful social absurdity:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1167534
Domestic staff at dinner: Restaurant owners in Pakistan speak up
Anum Rehman Chagani Updated March 05, 2015
When a picture of a maid apparently being mistreated at a cafe in Karachi went viral, social media went into a frenzy. - Photo courtesy: Yusra Askari
Popular Facebook group Karachi Food Diary (KFD) usually features debates about which khao suey is the best in town.
But a few days ago, things took a serious turn when a user posted an image of a family having a meal at Xander's, a well-known eatery on Karachi's E Street, and their two maids standing in a corner, taking care of their child.
The image was initially posted on Twitter and has been retweeted over 1,200 times since. People instantly jumped to conclusions and deemed the family monsters.
View image on Twitter
Follow
Yusra Askari
✔@YusraSAskari
If you can't feed the two little girls minding your child, please don't bring them to a restaurant!
1:19 AM - Feb 26, 2015
Twitter Ads info and privacy
One user on Facebook said, "If a maid can take care of your child, why can't she sit at the same table?"
Another chimed in, "The so-called upper class has no class."
One woman classified them as unlawful citizens: "Child labour is a crime and these people are culprits."
The debate raised several questions relating to privacy, class stratification and labour law. While it's true that for some, a secretly taken photograph of a family enjoying a meal out would constitute an invasion of privacy, for others if this helps expose a social issue it's justified. And while some criticised the family for not giving their staff a seat at the table, others claimed their own staff feels uncomfortable partaking in family meals and may prefer an alternative situation.
What do restaurant owners feel?
The incident exposes the ugly side of upper class society, a segment that usually includes restaurant owners themselves. So we asked a few restaurant owners to give us their take on the incident, and what, if any, policies they feel could be implemented for the future.
Xander's, where the incident took place and the site of the infamous photograph, has been thrown into the spotlight. Owner Alexandre Rizvi gives us his side of the story:
"I questioned my staff about what happened and they informed me that the maids had been seated with their employers initially. When the child they were taking care of got fussy they got up to walk around a little to calm him down. In those few minutes, a picture was taken and put up on social media and blown way out of proportion."
He adds, "You can’t just take pictures of people out for dinner with their family. It’s unethical and a complete invasion of privacy.”
Restaurant owners may have to flout the rule 'the customer is always right'
Saima Achria of The Patio says, "As owners, we can't be dictating social values and making rules as to how customers treat their domestic staff. However we have never experienced such an incident: our customers generally allow their staff to sit and offer them a drink or even a meal in some cases."
Abid Merchant of Fika raises an important point: "There’s been talk on KFD about how a separate area being allocated to them could solve the issue. Again, that’s discriminatory also and not really possible for restaurant owners to do when they’ve got an intimate, small place. If people do bring their maids along, they should definitely make them sit at the same table. If they're not going to do that, then they shouldn't bring them out at all because such discriminatory behaviour is unacceptable."
Talking to Muhammad Ali Teli, the owner of Pantry, he shares his experience, stating: "Just a few days ago, I had a lady come with her maid and she asked the young girl if she’d like some juice and she said yes. The waiter inquired whether the woman would like her to have boxed juice or fresh juice (the latter obviously being slightly pricier) and the woman said give her fresh juice, the same that we’re having. The majority of customers don’t discriminate but there are some who do and with such progressive social media, they are bound to get caught."
Does social media bring out the worst in us or the best?
Alexandre of Xander's told us that the people in the picture came to him, furious, demanding the CCTV footage from that night be released so they can silence the attacks being hurled at them in the virtual world. The Xander's team is working on locating the footage.
There's no doubt that the ease with which photos can be shared online is both a curse and a blessing, depending on which party you are.
In this case, the possibility of being shamed in public may police behaviour. Also on KFD, a group member posted this comment:
"Funny story, a couple of days ago I went to Xander's with some friends. There was a group of ladies where one of them had a maid and a baby. Whilst giving the waiter the order, one of the ladies (referring to her maid) said "Bhai sab say pehlay isskay liyay kursi laado, pata nahin kaun Facebook per humein zaleel karday (first things first, please bring out a chair for her to be seated on — who knows who will shame us on Facebook)."
There's no denying this incident sheds light on an uncomfortable system that most Pakistanis engage with every day: depending on domestic staff members to take care of intimate aspects of life such as child rearing while treating them as lower-class citizens at the same time.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1167534
Domestic staff at dinner: Restaurant owners in Pakistan speak up
Anum Rehman Chagani Updated March 05, 2015
When a picture of a maid apparently being mistreated at a cafe in Karachi went viral, social media went into a frenzy. - Photo courtesy: Yusra Askari
Popular Facebook group Karachi Food Diary (KFD) usually features debates about which khao suey is the best in town.
But a few days ago, things took a serious turn when a user posted an image of a family having a meal at Xander's, a well-known eatery on Karachi's E Street, and their two maids standing in a corner, taking care of their child.
The image was initially posted on Twitter and has been retweeted over 1,200 times since. People instantly jumped to conclusions and deemed the family monsters.
View image on Twitter
Follow
Yusra Askari ✔@YusraSAskari
If you can't feed the two little girls minding your child, please don't bring them to a restaurant!
1:19 AM - Feb 26, 2015
Twitter Ads info and privacy
One user on Facebook said, "If a maid can take care of your child, why can't she sit at the same table?"
Another chimed in, "The so-called upper class has no class."
One woman classified them as unlawful citizens: "Child labour is a crime and these people are culprits."
The debate raised several questions relating to privacy, class stratification and labour law. While it's true that for some, a secretly taken photograph of a family enjoying a meal out would constitute an invasion of privacy, for others if this helps expose a social issue it's justified. And while some criticised the family for not giving their staff a seat at the table, others claimed their own staff feels uncomfortable partaking in family meals and may prefer an alternative situation.
What do restaurant owners feel?
The incident exposes the ugly side of upper class society, a segment that usually includes restaurant owners themselves. So we asked a few restaurant owners to give us their take on the incident, and what, if any, policies they feel could be implemented for the future.
Xander's, where the incident took place and the site of the infamous photograph, has been thrown into the spotlight. Owner Alexandre Rizvi gives us his side of the story:
"I questioned my staff about what happened and they informed me that the maids had been seated with their employers initially. When the child they were taking care of got fussy they got up to walk around a little to calm him down. In those few minutes, a picture was taken and put up on social media and blown way out of proportion."
He adds, "You can’t just take pictures of people out for dinner with their family. It’s unethical and a complete invasion of privacy.”
Restaurant owners may have to flout the rule 'the customer is always right'
Saima Achria of The Patio says, "As owners, we can't be dictating social values and making rules as to how customers treat their domestic staff. However we have never experienced such an incident: our customers generally allow their staff to sit and offer them a drink or even a meal in some cases."
Abid Merchant of Fika raises an important point: "There’s been talk on KFD about how a separate area being allocated to them could solve the issue. Again, that’s discriminatory also and not really possible for restaurant owners to do when they’ve got an intimate, small place. If people do bring their maids along, they should definitely make them sit at the same table. If they're not going to do that, then they shouldn't bring them out at all because such discriminatory behaviour is unacceptable."
Talking to Muhammad Ali Teli, the owner of Pantry, he shares his experience, stating: "Just a few days ago, I had a lady come with her maid and she asked the young girl if she’d like some juice and she said yes. The waiter inquired whether the woman would like her to have boxed juice or fresh juice (the latter obviously being slightly pricier) and the woman said give her fresh juice, the same that we’re having. The majority of customers don’t discriminate but there are some who do and with such progressive social media, they are bound to get caught."
Does social media bring out the worst in us or the best?
Alexandre of Xander's told us that the people in the picture came to him, furious, demanding the CCTV footage from that night be released so they can silence the attacks being hurled at them in the virtual world. The Xander's team is working on locating the footage.
There's no doubt that the ease with which photos can be shared online is both a curse and a blessing, depending on which party you are.
In this case, the possibility of being shamed in public may police behaviour. Also on KFD, a group member posted this comment:
"Funny story, a couple of days ago I went to Xander's with some friends. There was a group of ladies where one of them had a maid and a baby. Whilst giving the waiter the order, one of the ladies (referring to her maid) said "Bhai sab say pehlay isskay liyay kursi laado, pata nahin kaun Facebook per humein zaleel karday (first things first, please bring out a chair for her to be seated on — who knows who will shame us on Facebook)."
There's no denying this incident sheds light on an uncomfortable system that most Pakistanis engage with every day: depending on domestic staff members to take care of intimate aspects of life such as child rearing while treating them as lower-class citizens at the same time.
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So who is in charge, again?
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/legal-gridlock-grips-nuclear-armed-u-s-ally-pakistan-n808906
OCT 9 2017, 9:51 AM ET
Legal Gridlock Grips Nuclear-Armed U.S. Ally Pakistan
by WAJAHAT S. KHAN
LAHORE, Pakistan — Pakistan is gridlocked with an array of senior officials and other elites in the Islamic republic facing criminal charges, including allegations of corruption and murder.
The legal woes besetting America's nuclear-armed ally come amid extremist threats, tensions between its civilian and military leaders, a mounting financial crisis and deteriorating relations with arch-rival India.
“It is a fractured country where no one seems to be in control of the situation,” said Zahid Hussain, a longtime Pakistani columnist.
At the heart of the stalemate gripping the country are problems facing former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family. The Supreme Court ousted him in July for not declaring his income.
Last week, Sharif set the stage for a political comeback with the passing of a bill in parliament that would allow him to regain control of the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz, a right-of-center, pro-business party Sharif named after himself.
The move comes as he faces more than a dozen pending corruption cases. And it doesn’t stop there.
The three-time prime minister's brother, Shahbaz Sharif, the powerful chief minister of Punjab — the country’s largest province with a population of 110 million — is being investigated for money laundering, murder and terrorism.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, who is also a brother-in-law of Nawaz Sharif, was indicted last week on corruption, money laundering and undeclared income charges. As the man in charge of Pakistan’s faltering economy, he’s faced calls from the opposition to resign.
Nawaz Sharif’s three adult children, including his heir apparent Maryam Nawaz, also face graft investigations. Maryam Nawaz’s husband, Safdar Awan, was arrested by anti-corruption authorities. Her brothers, Hassan and Hussain, are wanted by the courts.
Nawaz Sharif’s replacement, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, is also being investigated for corruption.
“The government appears to be working on a single-point agenda: undermining state institutions to protect the Sharif family from the reach of the law,” said Sakib Sherani, a former adviser to the government. “All other challenges to the country — a failing economy, rising regional and geopolitical pressure — are being left unaddressed.”
However, the opposition also faces legal woes.
Imran Khan, a cricket star-turned-politician, is being investigated by parliament after allegations of harassment made by a party member as well as charges that he failed to declare his income. His deputy, Jahangir Tareen, is also being tried for corruption.
The clamor for the powerful military to step in is increasing. Pakistan has already seen its armed forces seize power four times since independence from Britain in 1947.
The political chaos comes as the ever-present threat of violent extremism and increasing tensions with nuclear-armed India loom over the region.
In late September, ISIS flags appeared mysteriously on one of the main roads of Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad. On Thursday, more than 20 people were killed in a suicide bombing at a shrine in Balochistan — an attack claimed by the extremist group.
In a display of the ongoing gridlock, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal — the civilian head of security for country — was stopped last week from entering a hearing of the Nawaz Sharif trial by the same paramilitary force that is supposed to report to him.
"At a time when Pakistan needs to consolidate its police, military and intelligence efforts to counter the potency of [ISIS], those efforts are at risk of being undermined by the customary tensions between Pakistan’s generals and the political class. This has the potential to cause real damage to Pakistan’s hard-won victories against terrorists," said Mosharraf Zaidi, a former foreign policy adviser to the government.
Tensions are also mounting on the India-Pakistan border. On Wednesday, troops exchanged fire in what are “escalating” border clashes, according to the Foreign Office.
Pakistan’s stability matters to South Asia and beyond.
As a linchpin of the American war in Afghanistan, the U.S. alliance with Pakistan hinges on security cooperation against terror groups, and the passage of supplies to the some 11,000 U.S. troops there.
In August, President Donald Trump warned that Pakistan “has much to lose by continuing to harbor criminals and terrorists,” a reference to the country's alleged support for militant groups like the Haqqani network, which targets U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan. Pakistan has long denied allegations that it helps and shelters militants.
Amid Trump’s strong words and threats of sanctions from U.S. legislators, Pakistanis are struggling with power cuts, food price inflation and a growing tax burden imposed by a government too distracted to administer the world’s sixth-most-populous nation.
The chaos is having an impact on Pakistani living standards, with suddenly increased food and oil prices, said Atif Zafar, head of research at JS Global Capital, one of the country’s leading investment banks. The stock market has suffered its highest quarterly loss since June 30, 2008, he said.
The IMF has also warned that the Pakistan rupee is overvalued.
“The most serious challenge confronted by the country is the deepening economic crisis. It is further aggravated by political uncertainty," said Hussain, the columnist. "It is really a dangerous situation."
So who is in charge, again?
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/legal-gridlock-grips-nuclear-armed-u-s-ally-pakistan-n808906
OCT 9 2017, 9:51 AM ET
Legal Gridlock Grips Nuclear-Armed U.S. Ally Pakistan
by WAJAHAT S. KHAN
LAHORE, Pakistan — Pakistan is gridlocked with an array of senior officials and other elites in the Islamic republic facing criminal charges, including allegations of corruption and murder.
The legal woes besetting America's nuclear-armed ally come amid extremist threats, tensions between its civilian and military leaders, a mounting financial crisis and deteriorating relations with arch-rival India.
“It is a fractured country where no one seems to be in control of the situation,” said Zahid Hussain, a longtime Pakistani columnist.
At the heart of the stalemate gripping the country are problems facing former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family. The Supreme Court ousted him in July for not declaring his income.
Last week, Sharif set the stage for a political comeback with the passing of a bill in parliament that would allow him to regain control of the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz, a right-of-center, pro-business party Sharif named after himself.
The move comes as he faces more than a dozen pending corruption cases. And it doesn’t stop there.
The three-time prime minister's brother, Shahbaz Sharif, the powerful chief minister of Punjab — the country’s largest province with a population of 110 million — is being investigated for money laundering, murder and terrorism.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, who is also a brother-in-law of Nawaz Sharif, was indicted last week on corruption, money laundering and undeclared income charges. As the man in charge of Pakistan’s faltering economy, he’s faced calls from the opposition to resign.
Nawaz Sharif’s three adult children, including his heir apparent Maryam Nawaz, also face graft investigations. Maryam Nawaz’s husband, Safdar Awan, was arrested by anti-corruption authorities. Her brothers, Hassan and Hussain, are wanted by the courts.
Nawaz Sharif’s replacement, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, is also being investigated for corruption.
“The government appears to be working on a single-point agenda: undermining state institutions to protect the Sharif family from the reach of the law,” said Sakib Sherani, a former adviser to the government. “All other challenges to the country — a failing economy, rising regional and geopolitical pressure — are being left unaddressed.”
However, the opposition also faces legal woes.
Imran Khan, a cricket star-turned-politician, is being investigated by parliament after allegations of harassment made by a party member as well as charges that he failed to declare his income. His deputy, Jahangir Tareen, is also being tried for corruption.
The clamor for the powerful military to step in is increasing. Pakistan has already seen its armed forces seize power four times since independence from Britain in 1947.
The political chaos comes as the ever-present threat of violent extremism and increasing tensions with nuclear-armed India loom over the region.
In late September, ISIS flags appeared mysteriously on one of the main roads of Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad. On Thursday, more than 20 people were killed in a suicide bombing at a shrine in Balochistan — an attack claimed by the extremist group.
In a display of the ongoing gridlock, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal — the civilian head of security for country — was stopped last week from entering a hearing of the Nawaz Sharif trial by the same paramilitary force that is supposed to report to him.
"At a time when Pakistan needs to consolidate its police, military and intelligence efforts to counter the potency of [ISIS], those efforts are at risk of being undermined by the customary tensions between Pakistan’s generals and the political class. This has the potential to cause real damage to Pakistan’s hard-won victories against terrorists," said Mosharraf Zaidi, a former foreign policy adviser to the government.
Tensions are also mounting on the India-Pakistan border. On Wednesday, troops exchanged fire in what are “escalating” border clashes, according to the Foreign Office.
Pakistan’s stability matters to South Asia and beyond.
As a linchpin of the American war in Afghanistan, the U.S. alliance with Pakistan hinges on security cooperation against terror groups, and the passage of supplies to the some 11,000 U.S. troops there.
In August, President Donald Trump warned that Pakistan “has much to lose by continuing to harbor criminals and terrorists,” a reference to the country's alleged support for militant groups like the Haqqani network, which targets U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan. Pakistan has long denied allegations that it helps and shelters militants.
Amid Trump’s strong words and threats of sanctions from U.S. legislators, Pakistanis are struggling with power cuts, food price inflation and a growing tax burden imposed by a government too distracted to administer the world’s sixth-most-populous nation.
The chaos is having an impact on Pakistani living standards, with suddenly increased food and oil prices, said Atif Zafar, head of research at JS Global Capital, one of the country’s leading investment banks. The stock market has suffered its highest quarterly loss since June 30, 2008, he said.
The IMF has also warned that the Pakistan rupee is overvalued.
“The most serious challenge confronted by the country is the deepening economic crisis. It is further aggravated by political uncertainty," said Hussain, the columnist. "It is really a dangerous situation."
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