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Posts tagged with: Bahrain

Deciphering the attacks on Pakistani Nationals in Bahrain

CPR - A Bahrain ID Card which has the nationality clearly mentioned

After posting the two write-ups on the blog here & here about the threats on Pakistanis living in Bahrain, its important to share my own analysis over this issue that I have gained over the past two days thanks to a number of friends in Bahrain and around the world.

There is a large population of Pakistanis living in Bahrain, many settled for years, many knowing only the Kingdom of Bahrain as their birth place, are now suddenly feeling threatened and fear their own personal security. The population which has lived together as a community for many years has recently been divided drastically in terms of Shia and Sunni religious sects, predominantly the Arab rulers are Sunni while a large influx of expatriates have flowed into the country namely Pakistan & other south Asian regions [sunni] and a large section from Iran [shiite]. Mostly the ruling family has recruited Pakistanis [and other south Asians] into the police force because of their natural preference to having a “trusted” dominated force.

Over time many people in Bahrain eyed Pakistanis as the golden-eye favorites of the rulers and were seen with a certain degree of resentment. With the hub of the revolution starting from the GCC roundabout the issue initially was reported as a pro-democracy protest, but over the past few days the “pro-democracy” protesters have become Anti Government rioters taking a startling turn.

Peaceful Pakistanis being a blue-eyed favorite of the rulers have been blanket labeled as pro-government and have become fair game to protestors to identify and inhumanely brutalize them at will. Prime target has been the multi-national police force of who have been at the receiving end of the most inhumane, racial treatment by the protestors and abundant videos are circulating to support this.
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Letter from a Pakistani Journalist in Bahrain appealing for Help

A Pakistani Man begging for mercy after being severely thrashed

I write this in great distress. As the world knows, there has been a wave of protests in Bahrain that has rocked the entire country. While most of the world, including our brothers in Pakistan and media want to see it as a sequel to the incidents in Tunisia and Egypt, let me assure you that it isn’t.

I a Pakistani and a journalist based here for more many years, want to tell you that it is entirely a sectarian issue with the Shias (even not all of them) wreaking havoc on the country. For the past month ever since their protests started on February 14, they have paralysed daily life in the country bringing it to a virtual standstill. Before the operation started on March 15 late afternoon, the protesters had gone on the rampage killing and injuring whoever they could get their hands on. However, they seem to be sifting Pakistanis from the rest since our countrymen are serving the country in the security forces.

It has grown to an extent that they have killed one Pakistani and seriously injured many more. They had even captured a group of Pakistanis and took them to the largest government hospital – Salmaniya Medical Complex – where everyone from patients and doctors kicked and punched and cursed them. The doctors totally violated their oath of treating people irrespective of their race, nationality or leaning. There was lot of panic amongst the residents and citizens here. However, with the arrival of the Peninsula Shield Force (the united GCC force just like Nato, etc.) conditions have improved a lot.
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Shocking Attack on a Pakistani in a Hospital in Bahrain

This is an email I received from Bahrain sharing a shocking detail of Human Rights abuses against Pakistanis in these riots. I personally cannot verify the contents but talking to a number of Pakistanis based in Bahrain all attest that such incident did occur and this incident is being widely reported. What is actually happening is that there are a lot of Pakistanis in Bahrain and even a large number in the police, so when the local arabs want to vent their anger they search and identify Pakistani and then go crazy, a smilier incident occurred a few days back and this is what happened

I am a Bahraini medical staff member in Salmaniya please i want my story of what happened in Salmaniya to be told to people.

Being a human being it is my duty to let the people know the reality of what happened in Salmaniya on Saturday night and early part of Sunday 13th March 2011 in Salmaniya emergency.

I was present there in emergency, I am narrating to you the incident about the Pakistani labor workers who came to emergency, the arrival of Pakistanis beaten to death was hailed as a moral victory for narrow minded medical staff of SMC including some doctors and nurses which were chanting victory slogans as they had achieved a victory and against our king these poor labor guys were taken out of ambulances as animals with hands coughed and with oozing blood from their body were kicked and verbally abused as they had come to a prison not a hospital where patients are slaughtered.
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HUMOR: Pakistani Ambassador rejected because his name is NSFW in Arabic

UPDATE 13th Feb: Foreign Policy Magazine which was first to break the story on 3rd February has issued a clarification that this story is might be untrue “The story turns out to be false: Mr. Zeb has responded, saying that the press reports are nothing more than a practical joke someone played on the Internet.” He goes on to clarify that his name, originally spelled Zaib but was changed by his family to Zeb, means “someone with good countenance,” Ambassador Zeb denies that he was ever considered for an ambassadorial position in Saudi Arabia”

This news story is just too hilarious too pass up. I have just read this on Cafe Pyala where Ambassador Miangul Akbar Zeb reportedly cannot receive accreditation as Pakistan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia. The reason, apparently, has nothing to do with his credentials, and everything to do with his name — which, in Arabic, translates to “biggest dick” reportedly Pakistan had previously floated Zeb’s name as ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, only to have him rejected for the same reason

Akbar Zib is no newcomer to politics, this long-ranging high level diplomat has worked with some of the largest members of world governments, he most recently served as High Commissioner Designate of Pakistan to Canada, and prior to that he was the ambassador of Pakistan to South Africa,. He also served in that capacity in Washington from 1983-87, and New Delhi from 1994-2000. Seriously I have no disrespect for the honorable diplomat, but he sure has his prospects limited to serving Pakistan at a non-Arabic mission

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