Racism is being condemned all over the world and all the
countries under the banner of United Nation are working to curb this ill from
the world. It used to happen in the past that people used to fight wars over
the hint of a thought that they are superior from the other races. Apartheid in
South Africa
and other parts of the world can be seen as an example of fights between whites
and blacks, in which former used to dominate others with the sense of superiority.
It was shocking news that a Frech restaurant ’La Maison’ is functioning
right in the heart of capital and operates on a no-Pakistani allowed please
policy. No Pakistanis are deemed safe to enter unaccompanied into La Maison,
the restaurant that operates this policy.
Other than the fact that it is remarkable Pakistanis in
their own country are treated as unwelcome in local establishments, what is
even more surprising is that the justification offered is that the owner is only
trying to protect belief of locals as French style of cooking that uses wine
and food was not halal and even pork was served. If the management,
headed by a Mr Phillipe Lafourge, is so keen to protect the religious purity of
the belief of all Muslims, why they could not put a sign outside restaurant that
Muslims be aware halal food was not being served.
It is strange that Pakistanis having dual passports were
being welcomed but Pakistanis having green passport are not welcome. On this
point Mr Lafourge’s response has been to mention the diplomatic enclave, saying
strict entry requirements exist there too. It can be seen a nice try to justify
the blames spreading racism but it reality it is not because this restaurant
was functioning not in diplomatic enclave but it was functioning in sector F-7
of the capital. Instead, La Maison is on the ground floor of Lafforgue’s own
residence in Islamabad ’s
posh F7-1 neighborhood and enjoys no embassy connections that would extend it
diplomatic privileges. There isn’t even a display sign outside the restaurant.
Overall making judgment that who can dine at a restaurant,
based on the colour of one’s passport is a fairly disgusting practice. The restaurant
must think about what the policy really implies; that a person with a foreign
nationality somehow deserves to be served unquestioned, while Pakistanis are to
be treated with caution, and only allowed entry with a foreign passport-holder
as a guarantor. The only thing a passport is valid for is to determine one’s
nationality, not to get a chance to get a nod to eat from a restaurant.
According to police sources, they recovered huge quantity of
illegal liquor from 'La Maison'. The raid was carried out by the police with TV
camera crews in tow. The police charged Lafforgue with "unlicensed
alcohol," a crime in Pakistan . Police
official said that they received complaints about the restaurant, practicing a
colonial-style ‘Dogs and Indians Not Allowed’ policy in the middle of Islamabad , serving only
foreigners. One such incident happened in 2009, another French restaurant 'The
Cordon Rouge' hung a "foreigners only" sign, which was later removed
after protests.
Authorities also take the matter seriously and such restaurant
and other establishments must not be allowed to operate inside Pakistan where
Pakistanis are not allowed. Authorities must change the policy, or shut the
place down because Pakistan
is for Pakistanis. The foreigners need to understand that they are guests in
the country and they must not behave like the masters and it is not a colonial
period and they must take care of the sentiments of locals.
