How do Pakistanis living in western countries handle questions about whats going on in their country? I hate it when someone asks me about Taliban and terrorism and mullahs in Pakistan and why so many Pakistanis support it.
Whenever someone asks this, everyone around me suddenly turns their attention to me and I feel like getting surrounded by angry people looking for an explanation. The first time someone asked I got very nervous because these people were usually very friendly with me and now they were looking at me like
I don’t want to explain or defend anything, I just want to know a way to get out of these situations fast.
I personally, love those situations. I know I'm just one person, but WE are the ones who will create a better and more positive image of Pakistan, abroad. Forget the government and whatever else, I just want to explain to people, that Pakistani's are just normal people like Americans and it's only a radical minority which is splashed all over the media.
hmmm yes i was in a similar situation and my answer was.
'well whats the proof that these ppl are actually pakistanis or muslims? secondly not every pakistani or muslim is like that so u cannot generalise it. finally i dont support taliban or any kind of terrorist activities so its useless to ask me these questions'
and their expressions were like 'oh haan yeh tou hum ne socha hi nahi tha'. hmmmmmmm
I personally, love those situations. I know I'm just one person, but WE are the ones who will create a better and more positive image of Pakistan, abroad. Forget the government and whatever else, I just want to explain to people, that Pakistani's are just normal people like Americans and it's only a radical minority which is splashed all over the media.
When I was an American in Pakistan, I had many similar experiences. One thing I always pointed out was that although America is a democracy (of sorts), We the People don't really control the government, don't always agree with its policies and yet cannot change those policies. Just like Pakistanis in Pakistan.
When people would say how dangerous life in America must be, with all those criminals and drug dealers and such ("Ham TV pe aur filimon men dekhte hain,") I point out that TV & movies rarely portray real life -- and point to Pakistani television and Bollywood as corollaries.
In America especially, the news is SO full of all-singing, all-dancing, all-talking terrorism all the time -- that's all anyone ever hears about Pakistan. Try to find similar examples of fundamentalism gone awry in whatever country you are in, and point out that it is not the norm. Point out the effects of economic disparity which cause desperation. Talk about the lack of access to good education. And find as many examples of good works and normal life going on as you can. Americans only know the terrorism side of Pakistan. That's pretty much all they hear. You need to be the ambassadors, the educators, the voices of moderation, to let them know that there is so much more to Pakistan than that.
