On the Picket Line in Islamabad

ahmedzai #53 in other words, what you are saying is that if you cant fight em, join em. i would only add that in this case by joining em you would also be joining the side that is right in any case. globalization, which includes the spread of franchises like mcdonalds, is i think long overdue. in pakistan, we can only benefit - not just economically, but in terms of improving the quality of life for all pakistanis - if we understand current trends and try to benefit from the many opportunities they present to move out of the physical poverty of our poor and the moral poverty of the maulvis on the one hand and the elite on the other.

Jamil:

Jay at # 54 is absolutely right.

In addition to what he has righfully stated, it would be better if you could highlight:

1. Dowry deaths in India

2. Spread of AIDS in India

3. Atrocities on Muslims of Kashmir incurred by the Indian occupation forces and on Muslims of Gujrat under the aegis of Indian extremist Governmet.

4. Atrocities on Christians of Nagaland, Buddhists of Bodoland, Sikhs of Indian Punjab, etc.

5. An article that could open the eyes of Indian extremists like Jay, Gay, etc. that it is India that is having problems internally all over (civil disturbances, separation movements, south-north divide, etc.) and is, therefore, raising the bogey of Pakistan for all its ills and taking a majority of Indians in the wake.

jay #54 i see the hindutva retard is back.

Further to my post at #1 and many subsequent posts by tahmed32, I would like to advise Pakistanis again to have a clear Vision about your country that you contribute to through whatever is in your individual control.

The vision for Pakistan could be to make it an economically, militarily and socially developed country so as to make it a role model of an Islamic country for the world to see.

If you are able to achieve the above vision then you can obtain all other itsy bitsy objectives too. Falling short of your vision, you will always remain a non-noticible bunch of people picketing here and there causing further downfall of your nation.

There are two strategic choices to be made that I can highlight here keeping in view the history:

1. You can act like Sultan Allaudding Khwarism Shah, challenge Ganges Khan, invite his wrath, lose the super power of that time - the state of Khwarism and all its litrary resources after the death of thousands of Muslims.

or

2. You can act like that Islamic preacher who attached himself with one of the son of Ganges Khan and ultimately won him and his hoarde over for Islam through his character and policy of `involved diplomacy`.

Jamil,

What is good about pakistan is the uniformity of their views. They would like to be in the press, and that is all they care. There was a poem by aisha sarwari, talking about a memorial for danial pearl, because he is a yank. Now you are against KFC, yet another pretext to be in the press. You also relfect the support of the chowk editors, they also want trivia in the chowk, the irreleveant, the banal, topics that have no social relevance, topics that will not stirr the pak minds.

Jamil, how about a protest about honour killings. How about a march on the birth day of abdus salam in the university asking for some memmorial for the lost soul.

Well, even chowk will not report it. Another pathetic pakistani, if you can , pleaes hang around the uS embassy, keep close to any sucpicious cars.

Oye toba toba miyanji, tusee vee had karrde ho. Buns moye buns. Double roti vaalee buns. Pao vaalee buns. Hore te, sesame seed vaalee 7-grain mehngee bun, chalo?

Vaise oh tvaadee ik MP seegee, ohde buns vee change see ji.

wajahat #50 I think you should read jayjay`s experience with these protestors. Does that seem like a peaceful protest to you? it is harassment of innocent pakistanis. I wouldnt be surprised if these boycotters are paid by restaurant owners who see franchises competing away customers through better service.
As for ``massacring your brethren``, wake up to reality. Worry about your fellow pakistanis first who are paying the price for the evil actions of these ``brethren`` who have introduced violence and fanaticism in the country, causing investors to shy away from pakistan, and the youth to go around jobless.

Jamil

Thank you for this article and Even more for your efforts to counter American Capitalism. So there are many people on this board who feel that those of us who are demonstrating our right of dissent against what we feel is colonisation of our lands, is hipocracy. This is our democratic right to peacefully demonstrate against a power that is just massacring our brethren all over the world.

And to those who feel that this would have a dire effect on our economy, trust me, there will be a lot more going into the local economy and the local business man if these giants were stopped and they did not bankrupt other independent food retailers.

Good luck to you and your fellow protestors Jamil

Regards

Syed Ali

Ref bbabu #40

[PG&E went bankrupt because of California state policies.]

That same PG&E enthusiasticaly lobbied for the separation of electricity generation from distribution, got the law passed in California which says electric utilities can either be in the electricity generation business or distribution business but not both, claimed that the new law forced it to divest itself of its power stations and got a compensation from the state running into billions of dollars and barely a year later declared bankruptcy.

You need to have an attention span longer than that of a gnat.

Ref bbabu #40

[The Bushes have been clean compared to other pols in USA.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article3330.htm

Ref bbabu #40

[All CEOs and CFOs have to attest their financial reports.]

That was AFTER Enron, WorldCom, Global Crossing, JDS Uniphase, etc., etc., etc.

Not BEFORE.

Ref tahmed32 #41

[I think you need to take some classes in building self-confidence. You seem so terrified of appearing like you are kissing ass that you reject such simple statements of fact.]

The last thing anybody has accused me of on Chowk is lack of self-confidence.

Anyway, you remind me of a statement by Lyndon Johnson`s aide to LBJ about some politician. He said that the pol would willingly kiss LBJ`s ass in Macy`s display window during the Thanksgiving Day Parade in return for favors.

Dear Mr Omar

Unfortunately I have to disagree with you regarding your assertion that “the city’s longest non-violent resistance” is facing the wrath of the authorities. When I, along with my 5-and-7 years old children, ventured to the KFC in the Super Market during the Iraq War, my experience contrarily showed that it was the peaceful shoppers who were being hassled by a unbridled gang. My car was mobbed by a group of 10 to 15 young folks, who did not have the courtesy of letting me come out of my car. The dialogue (if you insist on calling it as such) comprised of nothing but simultaneous shouting voices of many of them. First question was, “are you going in KFC?” and when I replied in affirmative, I was encircled with several enthusiasts trying to thrust leaflets in my hands. It did not find it peaceful at all when they refused to take my “no” to their demand of not entering KFC. Instead of tolerating my opinion as I did theirs, I was repeatedly asked to argue (and win the argument) against their stand. It was not easy to shove myself out of the pack. No wonder the coercive environment created by the thugs, backed by their ‘liberal’ professors, has been proving enormously successful in turning people away. In any other country the gang of harassing goons would have long been removed.

I wonder what have been achieved by the picketers so far through their peaceful protest?

jamil omar/omar jamil?
theres quite a movement going on in karachi too... the seaview mcdonalds and boatbasin pizza hut are main targets with `activists` in small numbers also present at other fast food places... recently entertained by tales of an aunt and daughter being thrown off pizza hut premises (the footpath outside is also apparently pizza hut premises) these ppl are at its 2 hours every day and 6 to 11 pm on weekends, turning away more than 250 people on saturday nights... contrary to what you say, theres been quite some mention of this in the local press here

Well, If youc ant make a beter substitue of better quality and the same price thats locally made then why blame others? Its shamefull that we dont know that boycotting will increase unemployment in pakistan. Why dont the people who are doing this make a ney FACTORY of Beverages which makes substitutes and employs those who leave the COCA COLA & PEPSI FACTORY, KFC, MC Donalds??????????
Who Will Do This?
If Nobody Can, then Stop this nonsense.

Ali87 #32

I did not get the intent of your message.

Maybe I am stupidly liberal. I do not believe in ideological Boycots in anything. I simply want to exercise my personal choice in all my personal matters.