Adil Najam
PIA print advertisement from the 1960s (Originally uploaded by PakPositive.com which is a blog that highlights the positives aspects of Pakistan).
Let me continue with the ‘Image Pakistan’ theme in choosing the picture for today. I find this advert for PIA absolutely fascinating; both for what it says about how PIA (Pakistan International Airlines) saw itself and how it saw Pakistan (or wanted Pakistan to be seen).
Was this the reality of Pakistan before theso-called ‘darhi wallahs’ took center stage? Or was this ‘image’ of Pakistan as much out-of-sync with the reality of what was Pakistan then, as the image of the bearded-gun-totting-bomb- throwing-jihadi-Pakistani is today?
Speaking of ‘image’ and ‘brand’ the Association of Pakistani Professionals (AOPP) has recently launched an initiative on the subject and held a thoughtful and thought-provoking event on he subject in New York on June 3. I was asked to moderate part of the program, and found the discussion to be mature, reasoned and reasonable–something we should have more of.
Love the add… Actually for those who think this is demeaning women, it is not at all… let at her… her confidence…. this is not teh weak woman who has to be saved… this is a woman comfortable with herself…
Pre Zia time was an era of decisions making process based on right vs wrong. Post Zia period is that of national discourse subjected to Halal vs Haram. This approach is fundamentally flawed as it depends on contextual interpretations.
Dear MQ
I have not mentioned the sarhi skirt phenomenon as being curtailed to PIA air line hostesses, I was merely mentioning the trends followed by South Asian Women, Nevertheless thank you for correcting.
Tc
FiAman Allah
Omar Qaiserani,
I agree with you. Dress usually evolves and cannot and should not be imposed. But PIA stewardess never wore a skirt either in the 60s or later. Their uniform always consisted of three elements: kameez, shalwar and dupatta, and additionally a cap in the early days. The styles and colors kept changing but the basic elements always remained the same.
Aslamu Alekum
I dont want to decide for you people that weather the social hirearchy in 60’s was better or is it better now, Was the skirt wearing stewardess more charming or the Dupatta wearing Hostess has more devine beauty, All i say is that if the change is must, It must come internally, neither 60’s modernism was brought by the public of pakistan and neither 80’s conservativeness was the result of internal social changes, They were thrust upon us by leaders or political fractions not depicting the whole society, I am a firm believer that if we allow the society to progress and take its normal course it would choose for it self things which might not always be right or wrong, but i am damn sure they will last longer and have better roots in the common man, See our ideas of modernisms are imported from west and conservativenes from the Holy Land, Why not have our own ideas of modernism and conservativenes, If wearing skirts is trendy in US, It doesnt necessarily mean it would follow suite here, Let me give u an example of Sarhi and Skirt, Both are revealing clothes, Sarhi probably more than skirt but why is sarhi a symbol of tradition and Skirts considered a dominance of westren culture and values, Simple answer is that while sarhi hay evolved in south asian culture Skirts have been thrust on the culture. So Whatever way is choosen for people,let it be the result of natural evolution rather than brisk implementation of ideas of ceratin Dictator or ruling class.