Stereotype #4 - Pakistani Protesters are Violent

Pakistan has to deal with a lot of issues on a nearly daily basis. Something or the other seems to go wrong every minute of every day. People turn to streets as an outlet of their anger/frustration. And this is what we see in the media and on the news:

1. People setting fire to tyres/cars/flags/effigies2. Destruction of public property3. Infighting4. Police baton-charging the protestors5. Tear gas/shelling6. A large crowd of people amid chaos

What we don't see:

1. Over a thousand Shia Muslims of Lahore ended on Monday a nearly two-day peaceful sit-in after Islamabad gave in to demands for protection by the Hazara Shias.

(http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2013/01/14/city/lahore/unaccustomed-to-peaceful-protests-lahoris-praise-shia-resilience/)

2. Peaceful sit-in protests by the families of the victims of Mastung tragedy, Quetta.

(http://tribune.com.pk/story/662371/mastung-tragedy-protests-erupt-in-parts-of-pakistan/)

3. Hand in hand as many as 200-300 people formed a human chain outside the St Anthony’s Church adjacent to the District Police Lines at the Empress Road, in a show of solidarity with the victims of the Peshawar church attack two weeks back, which resulted in over a 100 deaths.

(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/08/muslims-form-human-chain-pakistan_n_4057381.html)

4. Hundreds of Sunni Tehreek workers took out a peaceful anti-terrorism rally.

(http://ppinewsagency.com/167171/sunni-tehreek-holds-peaceful-anti-terrorism-protest-rally/)

Enough said.

Stereotype - Pakistani Protesters are Violent. Status = BUSTED! 

Stereotype # 3 - Pakistani women are subservient to men

Quite the contrary.

Pakistani women have always been a force to reckon with. They have dominated the music industry, film industry, political circles and the corporate arena. They have ventured into predominantly male professions like the Armed forces and are more recently, also signing up for odd jobs like Rickshaw driving!

Those who are privileged enough to be studying in good schools and universities are ambitious and are curious about what the future holds besides two sets of children and a husband.

The status of women in Pakistan is not just that of a subservient wife/sister or mother. Each and every woman in Pakistan has an identity of her own. Whether she spends her afternoon proposing a marketing plan or buying the latest lawn outfit.

Pakistani women are colourful, loud, cheery, well-groomed, bossy and even a little obnoxious at times.
They have learnt to stand up for each other. They have self-taught each other the art of defending themselves and the people they call their own.

Pakistani women are super moms, battling nagging relatives and handling bratty children at pretty much the same time.

Pakistani women are smart and they are sporty.

They are independent and self-reliant and can do PhD's, laundry's and diaper changing.

In short, they pretty much rock.

Stereotype - Pakistani women are subservient to men. Status = BUSTED!

PS: Make your own sandwich. :P

Two Sides to a Coin

Every truth has two sides; it is as well to look at both, before we commit ourselves to either.