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Picture of the Day: Welcoming the ‘Check’ Prime Minister

Posted on May 11, 2007
Filed Under >Adil Najam, Foreign Relations, Photo of the Day, Pinglish
250 Comments
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Adil Najam

On your left is the picture of the flag of the Czech Republic. On your right is a ‘Check’ (or, rather, checkered flag; often used in car racing. The two should never be confused. Except for the fact that ‘Czech’ is pronounced as ‘check.’

Ordinarily, this should not be a problem. But right now the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic is visiting Islamabad, and the Capital’s PR people have adorned a number of (very) large banners to welcome him in the spirit of good hospitality. The only problem is that instead of putting the ‘Czech’ flags on the banners, they have ‘Check’ flags!



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I saw these while driving back into Islamabad on the from the Airport. I rushed back to see if I would figure out who was responsible for this little gaffe and maybe alert them to the mistake before the Czech PM arrived. Unfortunately, it turned out that the Czech PM was already here.

I wonder what he and his team thought of this. Did they even mention it to their hosts or did they just keep politely quiet? I also wonder what they thought about the banner that read: “We Pray for the Czech Progress and Prosperity”?I am sure they liked the sentiment, but maybe they also wondered why Pakistanis are praying for Czech progress and prosperity instead of working harder for Pakistani progress or prosperity. On the other hand, maybe they do not think as hard about what is written on banners as I do!

I have no way of knowing this, but my theory of how this might have happened is this - Someone tells someone to find out what a Czech (read ‘check’) flag looks like; they look up ‘check flag’ on Google, and that is the one which makes it way on the banner.

Nice story for a chuckle? But how would you feel if the Pakistan Prime Minister goes to another country and they mess up the flags this way?

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250 comments posted

Comment Pages: « 32 [31] 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 221 »

  1. Martina says:
    August 28th, 2009 5:30 pm

    This is the BEST thing I have come across … ever! Somebody has said earlier in this discussion that Czech people love fun and have a sense of humour … yeah! … and the best thing about this is that if 10 professional joke makers put their heads together, they still would be unable to make such a hilarious fun like this googling mistake :)

  2. an embarrassed Pakistani says:
    August 7th, 2009 3:41 pm

    Reminds me of an old joke with the punch line (after a Czech was eaten by a male bear)…
    No one will believe you if you say…”the Czech is in the male” :o)

  3. Ishaq says:
    July 15th, 2009 6:01 am

    Our PM is from PaRha Likha Punjab, yet……

  4. Qausain says:
    March 21st, 2009 2:48 pm

    Creativity :-p

  5. John S says:
    January 14th, 2009 4:49 pm

    Well, Always I see this check flag, I have to laugh… :) I bet that somebody from Pakistan PR asked some Czech how our flag looks like and he(she) show him this “check” one… :-D Well what is the life without fun… :-) And we are nation that is making fun from everything you can imagine… :) Your (still smiling) Jan from Czech Rep.

  6. Babar says:
    December 15th, 2008 6:56 pm

    This is the most funny thing I have ever read on internet.

  7. czech observer says:
    October 27th, 2008 10:41 am

    You guys can’t be serious! Im sure this is some kind of (good) joke!

  8. cobaya38 says:
    October 19th, 2008 4:00 pm

    What about if it were vice versa: the Pákistáni PM would
    wisited the Czech Republic and on a pákistáni flag would be
    yelow ground and green Crescent with two stars.
    Were it a big offence or only a little indelicacy of islam ?

Comment Pages: « 32 [31] 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 221 »


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