Charlotte, is a NGO who remains committed to her work in the much-maligned world
of development assistance. She has worked through the horrors of east African
genocides and actually does something about the poverty and discrimination that
we all love to talk about but often ignore.
Our last meeting took place in a nice restaurant with live music and great
food. We chatted amiably till conversation drifted towards the attraction
native men feel towards white women. Charlotte had many stories and agreed that
some western tourists hunt for sexual gratification across the globe.
On her visit to Pakistan some years ago, while catching a domestic flight, she
was searched at one of our international airports. The female police official
took her inside the booth and insisted on searching in ways more than
necessary.
"Are you looking for work? I can get it all fixed up," said the policewoman.
Clueless, Charlotte thanked her and said that she was already employed and was
in Pakistan doing official work. "No, I mean I can get you a very good rate"
said the officer. "I know a lot of businessmen and politicians who would pay
you appropriately for your services."
Charlotte got the point and became upset. Rebuking the official, she came out
of the cubicle and called for the lady's supervisor. This man was unmoved by
Charlotte's complaint and did not think that the policewoman had committed any
error. Getting more furious, Charlotte went to see the supervisor's supervisor.
After the long process of searching him out, she finally found him and
complained about her experience.
"What is so offensive in all of this?" was this official's response. "Are you
shy of dealing with low-level staff? After all, I work with them too. We help a
lot of visitors in this way. And in any case, why are you making this into such
a big deal?"
Hurrying to catch her flight, Charlotte did not have the patience to follow the
matter up further. She overlooked this incident, accomplished her work and felt
that bygones were bygones.
However, on her next visit a few months later, Charlotte boarded another
domestic flight and the story became worse still. Once on board, the flight
captain approached her with these words:
"You are too attractive not to be noticed. I noticed you when you were walking
towards the plane and I immediately figured that you would be good. It's the
way you walk, my dear."
Charlotte mentally reviewed her clothing and demeanour for any signs of giving
the impression that she was on the lookout. She saw only her standard work
clothes, modest per the guidelines of travelling in Pakistan and crumpled after
an 18-hour day. Having consoled herself with the thought that none of this was
her fault, she told the captain off and threatened to lodge a formal complaint.
Her words made no difference at all: the macho man remained totally unmoved and
left her with his business card.
If this were not enough, when she arrived at her destination and approached the
hotel telephone operator requesting a wake-up call, he informed Charlotte that
the orange shalwar kameez was looking great on her and many people would want
to get to know her. At that point, Charlotte told me, she decided never to
return to the land of the Indus again.
This impetuous vow did not last long in the face of her commitment to the work
she was undertaking on behalf of her organisation. Her work, dealing with
important rights and development projects, brought her back and this time, she
had to be in a province that is struggling with many issues.
This time, Charlotte's stalker turned out to be none other than a high ranked
official of the province. His personal staff kept sending Charlotte gifts and
insisting on a personal tete-a-tete with the provincial official. And poor
Charlotte had to be curt and impolite to ward off his advances.
She complained to her organisation who asked whether she wanted to be moved
away from Pakistan-related work. Charlotte's response was in the negative since
her professional commitment came before her personal woes, but she is wiser for
all these experiences. She remains on her guard all the time, dresses in local
clothes only and avoids travelling alone.
Hearing this story you can imagine how I felt. I was unable to say much and was
embarrassed. With human trafficking cartels bringing Central Asian sex workers
to Pakistan and embedding this phenomenon in the urban centres, the
'easy-white-woman' stereotype is being created and reinforced.
In the face of this reality, how can Pakistan become a tourist destination? The
rich heritage and natural beauty can do no good if a visitor is being
threatened and insulted at the same time.
There is an Indian tourism advertisement that shows a taxi driver grabbing a
young tourist by the arm and pulling her towards his taxi who appears
frieghtened. He is stopped and rebuked by a young Indian who tells the taxi
driver to mend his ways, reminding him that guests are sacred.
This proves to be a lesson indeed from our much-maligned neighbour.
