Solo travellers to Pakistan and a possible clash of cultures

[Pakistansdefender]

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.

Most Pakistani people are not allowed to go to balochistan?
And are gawader was not open?
My neighbour from lahore has an office in gawader and visit 3 days a week.
Shame. And there is Atleast a grand Hotel. Who are these Pakistanis.

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.

A black dirty Hindu made the report. Shame.. Lol

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.

Eva zu Beck stayed 1 year alone in Pakistan. Travelled alone interior Sindh and gilgit baltistan. Actually didn't you see that karachi and lahore experts telling them about gilgit baltistan. I remember my college days when my gilgit and balti friends really reprimand me for stereotyping them. They ar enot patans. They are Liberal as far as Pakistani and gets and foreigners are used to travel there. There are also facilities. Similarly half of those bloggers are not invited by the government. Shame how it was twisted. Shame really shame

 

[American Pakistani]

So a biased Bharti will tell pakistan how it is. Aljazeera shame on you.

All bloggers should sue Aljazeera for nonsense.

 

[Leviza]

Stupid writer who never been to Islamabad or any other big city of Pakistan

there are a lot of women and men in markets in Pakistan as any other western country

someone need to tell this on the source

 

[Michael Corleone]

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.

i didn't claim that the society as a whole was entrenched with bigotry or extremism, but they had allowed certain conditions for it to brew... pakistan, no denial, have suffered a lot due to it but people i hope have become much wiser than before.

 

[airmarshal]

Solo traveler. Woman. Who got so inspired by Pakistan, she converted to Islam.

https://twitter.com/RosieGabrielle1

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.

This Indian reporter, trying very hard to link Pakistan military with tourism. And then she also finds local facilitators like Ahmer Naqvi, who is always talking anti state sh*t.

 

[Pan-Islamic-Pakistan]

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

Again, you who knows nothing about Pakistan or Pakistanis spreads your venom here. Talk about BD, don't talk about Pakistan unless you have been here.

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

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.

You guys welcome anytime. If you tell any Pakistani know you are Indonesian, they will become so happy to meet another Muslim from a friendly country. Pakistanis are genuine nice and simply people, who don't bear hate against anyone.

We even give Indians who loathe and hate Pakistan with every fiber of their being tremendous hospitality, regardless of their politics.

Only thing is that do not insult Islam or Prophet Muhammad saws. This is what Daniel Pearl did. Every Pakistani will get very angry, probably even Christians, Hindus, and Sikhs.

 

[Indos]

You guys welcome anytime. If you tell any Pakistani know you are Indonesian, they will become so happy to meet another Muslim from a friendly country. Pakistanis are genuine nice and simply people, who don't bear hate against anyone.

We even give Indians who loathe and hate Pakistan with every fiber of their being tremendous hospitality, regardless of their politics.

Only thing is that do not insult Islam or Prophet Muhammad saws. This is what Daniel Pearl did. Every Pakistani will get very angry, probably even Christians, Hindus, and Sikhs.

That thing has also been confirmed by my cousin who has been there.

 

[313ghazi]

Clash of culture? The only person uncultured is the person who wrote the article. Anyone who travels is required to research the culture of the community they are travelling too.

 

[Foxtrot Delta]

Funny post... Haha this is not Enddiya. This is Pakistan. Ur are drunk go home. OP

 

[darksider]

Stupid writer who never been to Islamabad or any other big city of Pakistan

there are a lot of women and men in markets in Pakistan as any other western country

someone need to tell this on the source

A week ago i visited village lahore for buffet dinner with my whole family.
I saw many foreigners waiting at entrance.they were not worried at all fot thier security and nobody bothered them.They were enjoying the atmosphere.
We are totally different from indians Americans portray us in thier movies.
And as someone mentioned this writer never visited Pakistan.how can he have different opinion from v loggers already visited Pakistan.
Or is there any incident of rapping tourists happened in Pakistan in the past 70 years?

 

[Michael Corleone]

Again, you who knows nothing about Pakistan or Pakistanis spreads your venom here. Talk about BD, don't talk about Pakistan unless you have been here

I’m Spreading venom? I disagreed with the journalist and made a neutral general statement, if all you read was brown insecurity, then you’re the problem... not me

 

[Leviza]

A week ago i visited village lahore for buffet dinner with my whole family.
I saw many foreigners waiting at entrance.they were not worried at all fot thier security and nobody bothered them.They were enjoying the atmosphere.
We are totally different from indians Americans portray us in thier movies.
And as someone mentioned this writer never visited Pakistan.how can he have different opinion from v loggers already visited Pakistan.
Or is there any incident of rapping tourists happened in Pakistan in the past 70 years?

There is no such incident in last 70 years
The foolish writer trying to match Indian general public to Pakistani general public

 

[Jungibaaz]

The report is completely biased, but I get the concern. I’ve raised it in the past, foreign tourists especially females need to be cautious and not do anything stupid that they wouldn’t do visiting any other part of the world, and all male or female travellers should be aware of cultural and societal standards and act accordingly. It’s best for everyone, and while our tourism industry is growing, the last thing we need is an incident or two of foreign tourists meeting a similar fate as the multitudes of cases in India.

While we as hosts have a duty of care to tourists in Pakistan, they should also be mindful and not do anything that might sour their trip.

Be smart and respectful, and enjoy your stay in Pakistan! It’s very simple.

 

[War Thunder]

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.

My biggest issue with the people is taking bloody selfies all the bloody time.
And that too, without asking permission and just standing next to a person and clicking.
What's wrong with our jahil awam like ffs?

 

[Imad.Khan]

My biggest issue with the people is taking bloody selfies all the bloody time.
And that too, without asking permission and just standing next to a person and clicking.
What's wrong with our jahil awam like ffs?

My colleague from work said the same thing, she went to Lahore to attend a friend's wedding, she called the people shameless. She also complained about people spitting and throwing rubbish on the streets.