Off my streets
Is this an islamic state? How do you define an “islamic state”. Are we muslims? Then why don’t we raise our voices when we see something happening around us that shouldn’t be there. Why don’t we take an action against it. Why are we not interested in making our surroundings a better place to live, for ourselves, for our children. Most of you must have glanced at the new rectangle pole boards of “La senza” a lingerie brand on main boulevard and liberty market ending in firdaus market, not to mention the one above H.Karim Buksh, no hungama, no signs of objection. La la la, everythings cool attitude, nothing new, it’s becoming a norm isn’t it? or it already has :S
Jaago loogon jagoo! Please.
I don’t know about you, but i want them “off my streets”. I don’t know how? Help me come up with a plan or something, spraying them black is not an option.
Thank you!
Agreed!!
HOW=mmmmm…i beleive this pro-western culture has silently invaded us without letting us know..i guess we have to start from media coz all this liberalism was promoted from media..when i talk of media, i am pin-pointing our pakistani cable channels!
What’s the matter, you don’t have anyone to dress up for you in lingerie?
To me, it doesn’t even hit the radar. The presence or absence of the ad doesn’t affect how I pray, or fast, or anything like that. I don’t see it making any real impact on my life, and I walk past HKB every night on my way home. How does it affect your life, Jeemz?
How will removing it (and any other similar ads) affect Lahore? Will I suddenly be able to get a landline at my office without bribing the relevant PTCL employee(s)? Will Lesco’s meters and meter readers become more honest? (Will Lahoris stop stealing electricity?) Will I be able to make my daily commute to work without some moron on a motorbike ahead of me trying to commit suicide in traffic, repeatedly?
Are we in an Islamic state? No. Will removing the ad make us better Muslims? No.
The name “Islamic” republic creates a lot of confusion. It should only be Republic of Pakistan like most other “normal” Muslim states.
And a lingerie shop is NOT western culture IDIOT, women need to use that stuff and I have seen all undergarments selling in open air even at Jumma Bazar. So I think you need to clean your heart and mind, you are having such stupid problems cause your own heart is not clean.
True Islam is “balance” it has nothing to do with east or west. Islam is for all. We need to flush out this dakhia noosi cheap zehniyat. Stop teasing ladies when u go out on bikes – that is not western – clean your own house first before pointing fingers to outside world.
what are you trying to do, turn lahore bloggs into a lal madjid.
its because of backwards people like you pakistan is suffering.
what is wrong with a female posing on an billboard?, so according to you only men are allowed to advertise?
the only affect on our society is when people like you make hungama over stupid reasons and create caos for no reason.
and no we are not in a islamic state maulana sahib.
if you dnt like it then leave and go to afganistan.
i dnt know why these bloogs allow such stupid people to post here.
atleast delete there idiotic blogs
great post. relevant and to the point.
One way, which was discussed at the LooseEnds Meetup at Lahore quite sometime back, was to perhaps arrange a meet with the shop’s management (Lasainza is being used as an example here; in that discussion, we were talking generally vulgar ads, which Lasaina’s is). The shop is doing it to sell more stuff, coz sex does sell. If a customer protests, they may just listen. If you can gather a few more, make a group perhaps, and then talk with the shop, even better. I think.
God help us all.
Reading the comments so far is very ajeeb ajeeb.
Just like a marxist will not be allowed to even live in the glorious, free United States, far less propogate his/her views, likewise, some things are a just not allowed, REGARDLESS what the people say. You don’t capture it on your radar, doesn’t mean it is a low flying object. Perhaps your radar needs some tuning. The Dopplers’ gettin’ to you, eh? :) Pakistan IS an Islamic state. If someone doesn’t like that, that is, frankly just too bad. Find another country, perhaps. One should have the tolerance to actually size up a situation. You don’t find that offensive, doesn’t mean it is. I, frankly, do not find the board offensive at all. But this is not about me. It is about a higher authority; much higher.
What’s wrong is wrong. Period. We at least should have the decency to accept that, if not do anything about it. No?
Relax eemz. Save your energies for more meaningful stuff. How about getting all angry when next time you see a 5-year old sleeping on the sidewalk or wiping your windscreen for 5 rupees. I think we as a society have become completely twisted. We go into a frenzy over perceived “vulgarity” which by the way almost always targets women, and never say a word about other issues that involve real human issues. What a sick society we have become!
Momekh, how about using up your energies to ensure that no kids are being abused by the local Mullah in your nearby madrassa? I am sure that probably does not show up on your radar.
It seems still no one has the decency to call a wrong a wrong. Still trying to win some imaginary competition I dunno; what radar? how does that relate to any of what is being said here? Are Mullahs abusing someone in your nearby madressa!!! Wah bai wah. I am sure you probably know a lot of other things as well… akkhhh…
Someone in the comments section said that this is like lal masjid. Hahahaha.
Selling porn and running brothels is wrong. Mullah s attacking them at their own discretion is wrong. No one (none of us) doing much about both of the above incidents is wrong. What we ‘do’ do is take sides with either of the sides, hence widening the chasm! O bai, a wrong is a wrong is a wrong. Period.
Anyways, movin’ on…
People wear lingerie so what’s wrong in the advertisement. Remember it brings money and businesses eventually help someone to feed their families by giving them jobs. Maybe it has already helped someone to leave the streets which Moral police like you forgets to notice.
Good thing Karachi and Lahore do not have sizeable population of Moral Police otherwise we all have end like NWFP (the future Afghanistan).
Jahanara – good points.
you know what’s wrong? seeing a woman in a bonanza shalwar kurta ad for MEN is wrong! Having to hear “roza hai? lag raha hai? glaxose D piyo.” is wrong! … and yada yada
Most of the commenters [disclaimer: i take absolutely no responsibilty if you use this word “commenters” in your english class and the tecaher doesn’t accept it as one!] here pointed out that we should have the decency to call a wrong a wrong… and a wrong is a wrong is a wrong. period. umm… just out of curiosity… what if you’re wrong?? :)
And regarding any ideas to take it “off my streets”, here’s one: give the maker of the ad enough money to sell their products without the ad!
Manufactur a bomb. Throw at the board. All done.
I just cant imagine how come people get all worked up on such issues. Just amazing.
But what realy irritates me is when the CJ wants the supposed vulgrarity out of the media. Does he wants the economic activity to slow down because of media going out of business? So what solution he has for the international channels we get over in Pakistan. Ban them altogether? Cut out from the world like Myanamar?
I dont give a damn about the vulgarity as long as at least many hundred thousand families (even millions if you count the trickle down) are fed because of this media thing.
Calling a wrong a wrong? All right, I’ll bite. What’s wrong with an ad for women’s lingerie with women in it not showing off anything racy?
Calling a wrong a wrong. Yeah it should be called wrong in any case.
Yeah this is “Islamic Republic of Pakistan” despite the fact that the current policies does not satisfy this fact.
Women wear lingerie [never in public over here] does not mean at all that it should be advertised in such a way.
omg, what kinda ppl u r? :)) . I mean, No larayee plz.
Idher tu jang ka sama bana dia hay ap logo nai :)
@ALL: Sakoon karain. I guess, leemz is right, and most of you guys are right too. Question is, ab kia karain????? Eik dosray ko stupid kahtay rahain?? :|
See, Its just a point of view of a person, like you have your point of views. So we have to respect each other’s point of views, cuz we know the “rights” and we are “educated”. And dont call ppl “stupid”, whom u just cant agree with. Well, everyone has right to “talk or protest” and the reason can be different from what you “think.”
Speaking of islamic practices, as far as the board is concerned…it should not be there. The end.
What we can do about it. Yes, we can go to the concerned persons and talk about this issue and must give them some alternative to market, with minimum possibility to become a cause of “stirring the feeling” (it can have bad impact on “kachay zahan”….and tell them to have respect for intimacy of women…. (its presence might not affect US(readers) but, as a muslim citizen its our duty to take care of others feelings too and try to stop such practices, which YOU think can cause a negative influence on OTHERS too, Sometimes we have to think about others too).
So, take it easy guys :) and have the nerve to listen to every kinda person around you.
***There is a “REASON” only for our betterment behind every practice that we are ordered to follow and avoid. Somtimes we realize this in seconds and sometimes it takes ages (jab allah chahay). So , no reason to become harsh on each other.
Have a nice day :)
:( and here i was hoping a war so that i could sit back, with nestle’ apple juice in hand, and enjoy and watch learned and educated people have a go at each other! but nooo… you had to come and cool everything down! :( why?? let them for once see the irony in this! let them for once see that it’s easy to “talk the talk” but a totally different ball game to “walk the talk”!
oh well… i have every faith in the people of this land of the pure! aakhir khargoosh ki maa kab tak khair manaay gee!!
:) and speaking of faith… you wrote “The End” after writing something that you believe! ;) See! after advocating everyone’s right of “free speech”, you pretty much went the other way with that phrase of yours! Like I said, difficult to…
MAJ never wanted Pakistan to be a Islamic State but a Muslim One!
(Barrister Ali K Chishti)
Karachi
@Muneeb: ..lollzzzz…. :))
Dont make it a twisting “the end” :D
“The End”, matlab, i am not going to give explanation.
When choosing between Yes and No, there is no middle way. And according to “teachings” , my rationale said NO :) , and i wrote so. One have to acheive clarity of mind at some point in life…. One have to have a strong sense of right and wrong at some point in life to attain a balance…otherwise, conflicts within yourself make u go nuts :))
and “ooooooooopss, i m sorry for spoiling the show.” :D:D
“The End”, matlab, i am not going to give explanation.
To convince people to accept your viewpoint as something worth considering, you do have to explain why you feel the way you do.
Faried, I know but thing is, i was not trying to have/give a feeling “oh, m so right” :D ….favoring Muneeb’s point that “anyone can have a “wrong” “right”… :))
firstly pakistan is not an islamic republic, so get that out your heads it was always suppose to be a secular country which the founder visioned,
over the years stupid islamic fundmentalists like zia have destroyed this society and i can see his effects on this board with the posting of this stupid topic.
we need to fix our selfs, cos islam has corrupted us ever since zia ul haq came and tore this country apart.
I think Leemz should be deported to Saudi Arabia for his/her own sanity. S/He is misfit for present day Lahore.
Why question the state and religion when something does not pass your private standards of morality?
I am pretty sure that by remove a couple of hoardings, Ieemz will be able to turn around the fate of this nation, as has been pointed out by several other posters. We will have clean streets, poverty will be eliminated, unemployment will disappear overnight, Lahore’s traffic will acquire the discipline of London’s roads, exploitation of the weak, the poor, the woman, the child will no longer be there.
Go live in a jungle. Think before your write.
Why was my last comment censored? Is it because it contained the word se*ual? God help us.
What I dont understand is why people get offended by female under garments while I have never heared protest agianst “jenuine jockie”. This is clear bias against women. But what am I talking about? Equality for women , in Pakistan? the two dont mix.
@Muneeb: :) hey, watching the show???
one word. IDIOT
ye we were visioned by our quid to be secular so lets follow him rather then these fundamentalists.
there is nothing wrong in a blonde women modeling, you just need to gte a life.
and if you have a problem with this advert you need the same medication qazi hussain needs.
please fish off to saudi arabia.
Having read the comments to eemz’s post, I’m filled with hope that my fellow citizens have risen above the wide ranging ignorance and myopia – I have been in London for 11 years but spent the rest of my life growing up in Pakistan. Never have I seen such mobilisation in the people and the urge to fight back to any who claims religion as their domain. I think time has come for us Pakistanis to claim our faith as a private affair and cut the damned Mullah’s lifeline.
Long live ‘secular’ Pakistan!
very well said people,
we must take this lack of ignorance out of our socity, and that is only possible when we seperate religon from out state.
ok someone made an idiotic post but what i cant belive is that some people even sided with him.
i hope this mentality is eradicated from pakistan, otherwise it will be hard for us to progress.
I don’t see religion as a private affair, at least not for Muslims. That’s not what Islam is. However, in the greater scheme of things, the presence or absence of that ad isn’t going to make much of a difference in how Muslims in Lahore live their lives.
I find it very annoying that people get up in arms about ads or cartoons in foreign lands or other similar non-issues. It’s a distraction from the real problems in Pakistani society. Why can’t the people who agree that the ad must go instead do something about the cops in their neighborhood police station?
Absolutely right!
“People wear lingerie so what’s wrong in the advertisement”
Baat tou sahee hai. I’ll visit the shop and ask them to put an advertisement of panties and condomns (ofcourse with models wearing them)
Bhai, people wear the above mentioned articles so what’s wrong in the advertisement.
You know what is funny is that those girls are MORE dressed then what you see in lahore ..
yes but bilal she is a blonde, we must not let amreekans come to pakistan, its an islamic country,
I don’t get it! What gives any redneck the right to demand that a particular post be taken off the blog!
Hellooo sonny! Wake-up! The authors here are NOT public servants, they’re NOT answerable to you. If you don’t agree with their POV then politely put forth your own views without crossing the limit. nahin to chaltay bano… I’m sure you’ll find tons of other outlets where people of your ilk engage in bitch-athons! Start your own blog; bitch, rant, take out your frustrations there!
@JahanAra: Why do you people then bitch about the increasing traffic jams when they hardly affect the poor kids sleeping on the side-walk? Why complain about rising encroachments when they in effect help poor earn livelihood? Why be so unifocal? Why NOT utilize our energies to fix all the ills of our society? Be they vulgar ads or child-abuse! Sick society, we surely are – and cynics like yourself don’t help much.
@Babar: Does that mean you’re condoning objectifying women for monetary gains? That is exactly what the media has been up to. What is so wrong in calling a wrong, a wrong?
@Faried Nawaz: Is it really not racy? How can an ad showing a woman in lingerie be not racy? What next? You find Victoria’s Secret a major turn-off?
@Invogue: Totally agree with you! They might as well legalize prostitution – and having said that, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone does come up here in favor of this as well.
but bilal she is a blonde
Now that explains the Hangama over a board Model is too beautiful ;).
Please post a pic at Flickr so we who are outside Lahore can enjoy it too.
:) looks like i was right, which means my faith in our people is not unwarranted!
ok. we’ve heard both sides of the wall. now it’s time for a vote! all who think we should make hagen daas to lower their ice cream prices write: aye! no, wait… ummm… errr… sorry for including my own agenda in this. i thought, maybe, in all this calling each other wrong i’d get away with it! but, alas, my own… my very own self betrayed me! :(
you know what fascinates me the most… the kind of logical jumps some people make! amazing, just amazing!
“Neena on Oct 9, 2007 9:02 AM) People wear lingerie so what’s wrong in the advertisement.”
Me wrote:
Baat tou sahee hai. I’ll visit the shop and ask them to put an advertisement of panties and condomns (ofcourse with models wearing them)
Bhai, people wear the above mentioned articles so what’s wrong in the advertisement.
Neena ji, ub kia hoowa Neena, saanp soongh gaya ya koi modelling kee offer mill gayee?
Guys, please take a look at another crooked logical jump:
“Neena wrote: Remember it (ie. the advertisement of girls wearing bra etc) brings money and businesses eventually help someone to feed their families by giving them jobs.”
Awwww … how thoughtful. Bohot khoob! Yanee kay people here also indirectly support porn stars (i’m sure they do that to feed their families)
*throws a ‘Hi!’ to PS and Muneeb*
*finds a seat in an already crowded lounge*
Hio… Captain :D , enjoy your time :)
http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/oct2006-weekly/nos-08-10-2006/instep.htm#11
Women, be happy!
The internationally renowned brand of lingerie, La Senza comes to Pakistan
its a new thing i think…… abhi tou bohat khuch dekhna hai tou sharmana kaisa….
issay kahtay hain, jaltee pai oil dalna :)
WOW….such a massive response…sorry i was away, couldnt join u ppl :)
anyhow, all this shows that we dont have patience to listen to others and we want to impose our ideas onto others, and every body is following I M RITE policy!
Abrarism – I’d beg to differ from your point of view that everyone is trying to impose there ideas – they are comments. In my view, there is a consistent underlying theme to the comments i.e. as a nation, we are sick of ppl trivialising the realy important human issues that surrpound us (political, religious, judicial, human…..and the list goes on) and instead make a mountain out of a molehill with issues such as this one.
Fair enough, it’s ok to call a wrong a wrong but my fellow ‘progressive’ commenters have have helped put things into perspective.
Abrarism – I’d beg to differ from your point of view that everyone is trying to impose there ideas – they are comments. In my view, there is a consistent underlying theme to the comments i.e. as a nation, we are sick of ppl trivialising the realy important human issues that surrpound us (political, religious, judicial, human…..and the list goes on) and instead make a mountain out of a molehill with issues such as this one.
Fair enough, it’s ok to call a wrong a wrong but my fellow ‘progressive’ commenters have have helped put things into perspective.
fair enough… ahhhh, u know what…we should all take some Eid holidays and rest. then we’l see each other :)