Solo travellers to Pakistan and a possible clash of cultures

[Samurai_assassin]

Recently I have absolutely enjoyed watching vlogs by famous and little known Youtubers traveling to Pakistan. By the mercy of Almighty Allah, travellers are showcasing Pakistan in every positive way. From food, landscape, people and culture. The fascination with the beauty of Pakistan grows by day.
This was not the case a decade ago when Pakistan made all the bad news, some of which was exaggerated by western media and other times self inflicted.
My greatest concern now is are solo travellers, westerners aware of the culture of Pakistan? As more and more people travel (prior to the corona outbreak) are Pakistanis and foreign tourists aware of the possible clash of cultures?
By this, I mean I recently saw a vlog by an American female solo traveller walking around Islamabad and men just memorised to see a foreign lady with her camera walk the streets. The vlogger felt an easy feeling as she was the only female there and had questioned, where are all the Pakistani women?
Another point of concern is taking selfies, western travellers are very open to the idea of talking selfies with the local population (not all) I'm sure this could be misinterpreted by a local male citizen placing his arm around a solo female traveller which in turn could lead to a case of sexual harassment.
Such cases occur across the border in India as they have millions of tourists visiting where women have been sexually assaulted. Or a case in New Zealand when a young British backpacker was raped and murdered. As unfortunate as it is this could occur in Pakistan as well. Better education and engagement with the local population is needed by the travellers and a somewhat understanding of what to expect by the local population. Pak and foreign governments need to work hard on the do's and don'ts.

 

[HRK]

An indian would not show his/her bias towards Pakistan is like a snake which don't bite .... that Indian lady did exactly what was expected from her in this report i.e. showing her prejudice and venting out her venom against Pakistan

 

[Death Professor]

Biased video. Even the thumbnail is biased. In the center right who do you see?

This is the same girl who had awful experience while his stay in India. What is the one point that keeps on repeating the whole video? That foreign vloggers getting paid to promote Pakistan...

I could claim the same, the whole video was promoted by Indian, and one can see the Indian lady who probably never visited Pakistan raising those "thought provoking" questions.

And even if government paid some white vloggers for promotion, what is wrong in that? Should we have paid our local brown vloggers who had no global reach/viewership outside Pakistan as a promotional tool? So that westerners couldn't even relate to them in any way possible.... Hmm a brilliant strategy coming from a genius Indian mind.

And what was that comment about colonial mindset? Don't we do the same for arabs? Don't we do the same for any foreign person?

Of-course we feel happy when some one praises our land/country? Don't you feel the same when some one visits your house and praises your house? It's the same feeling.

 

[Bilal.]

Recently I have absolutely enjoyed watching vlogs by famous and little known Youtubers traveling to Pakistan. By the mercy of Almighty Allah, travellers are showcasing Pakistan in every positive way. From food, landscape, people and culture. The fascination with the beauty of Pakistan grows by day.
This was not the case a decade ago when Pakistan made all the bad news, some of which was exaggerated by western media and other times self inflicted.
My greatest concern now is are solo travellers, westerners aware of the culture of Pakistan? As more and more people travel (prior to the corona outbreak) are Pakistanis and foreign tourists aware of the possible clash of cultures?
By this, I mean I recently saw a vlog by an American female solo traveller walking around Islamabad and men just memorised to see a foreign lady with her camera walk the streets. The vlogger felt an easy feeling as she was the only female there and had questioned, where are all the Pakistani women?
Another point of concern is taking selfies, western travellers are very open to the idea of talking selfies with the local population (not all) I'm sure this could be misinterpreted by a local male citizen placing his arm around a solo female traveller which in turn could lead to a case of sexual harassment.
Such cases occur across the border in India as they have millions of tourists visiting where women have been sexually assaulted. Or a case in New Zealand when a young British backpacker was raped and murdered. As unfortunate as it is this could occur in Pakistan as well. Better education and engagement with the local population is needed by the travellers and a somewhat understanding of what to expect by the local population. Pak and foreign governments need to work hard on the do's and don'ts.

What Gawadar/Balochistan is a no go zone? Should have told me when I just casually made a trip to gawadar a few years ago and to ziarat couple of years before that. This lady just made me realize it’s a closed off no go zone... lol

 

[Dubious]

Recently I have absolutely enjoyed watching vlogs by famous and little known Youtubers traveling to Pakistan. By the mercy of Almighty Allah, travellers are showcasing Pakistan in every positive way. From food, landscape, people and culture. The fascination with the beauty of Pakistan grows by day.
This was not the case a decade ago when Pakistan made all the bad news, some of which was exaggerated by western media and other times self inflicted.
My greatest concern now is are solo travellers, westerners aware of the culture of Pakistan? As more and more people travel (prior to the corona outbreak) are Pakistanis and foreign tourists aware of the possible clash of cultures?
By this, I mean I recently saw a vlog by an American female solo traveller walking around Islamabad and men just memorised to see a foreign lady with her camera walk the streets. The vlogger felt an easy feeling as she was the only female there and had questioned, where are all the Pakistani women?
Another point of concern is taking selfies, western travellers are very open to the idea of talking selfies with the local population (not all) I'm sure this could be misinterpreted by a local male citizen placing his arm around a solo female traveller which in turn could lead to a case of sexual harassment.
Such cases occur across the border in India as they have millions of tourists visiting where women have been sexually assaulted. Or a case in New Zealand when a young British backpacker was raped and murdered. As unfortunate as it is this could occur in Pakistan as well. Better education and engagement with the local population is needed by the travellers and a somewhat understanding of what to expect by the local population. Pak and foreign governments need to work hard on the do's and don'ts.

Who is Ahmer Naqvi?

Self proclaimed critic of what?

How can he say that about Balochistan when he is sitting in Karachi?

What Gawadar/Balochistan is a no go zone? Should have told me when I just casually made a trip to gawadar a few years ago and to ziarat couple of years before that. This lady just made me realize it’s a closed off no go zone... lol

Exactly my thoughts! Who are these retards they interview?

 

[Bilal.]

Exactly my thoughts! Who are these retards they interview?

Talha Siddiqui type sellouts.

 

[HRK]

Exactly my thoughts! Who are these retards they interview?

the guy is a well known social media troll ....

 

[Dubious]

the guy is a well known social media troll ....

Sad to see Al Jazeerah interviewing him

 

[Yankee-stani]

There was gonna be issues with a large influx of tourists coming however once it's more normalized and the infrastructure and law/order is stepped up cross cultural clashes might end you see Pakistani tourism is in its honeymoon phase people are tolerating because barley any foreigners use to come

 

[Michael Corleone]

what's wrong with a govt. inviting "influencers" to come and change the perception of a country ravaged by religious extremism and bigotry?

but this is true to some sense... pakistan (and not only them but the entire south asian region) have "brown insecurities" they value white skin more... but that's topic for another day and the journalist is making issue about stuff that matters in first world countries, not third world

 

[N.Siddiqui]

perception of a country ravaged by religious extremism and bigotry?

So where did all this religious extremism and bigotry gone now...vanished in thin air. If that was all that well entrenched in the society it is not possible to control and end it in 2-3 years...

Correction: Clearing the wrong perception that the country is ravaged by religious extremism and bigotry.

 

[Indos]

Well 2 of my cousins have visited Pakistan recently and they look satisfied with the journey. Particularly my female cousin who is quite talkative in Facebook and promote Pakistan many times there without being paid a cent.

 

[HRK]

Well 2 of my cousins have visited Pakistan recently and they look satisfied with the journey. Particularly my female cousin who is quite talkative in Facebook and promote Pakistan many times there without being paid a cent.

it was all bais report on every account by Indian journalist ....

 

[mudas777]

Split milk more like it as India is getting a bad publicity due to the rape culture and grouping's incidents they are trying to strike back I guess as Pakistan image is improving by each passing day. Of course we are inviting Foreigner bloggers as we are marketing at foreign markets what's wrong with that. Have we placed any restrictions on the local tourists to go anywhere so they should carry on as the free citizens of our country to visit their places of interests. Hence its about time we should and must increase foreign tourist influx but obviously we need to invest in the infra structure. Tourism is a business not an emotional trail for few spoiled brats as they were not invited to the party.

 

[Indos]

it was all bais report on every account by Indian journalist ....

Al Jazeera in general also always have bias reporting if they cover Indonesia. Dont know why they like to shoot slump place in Jakarta in many report and support liberal agenda here.