THIS refers to Irfan Husain’s column ‘Rise of the urban wadera’ (Oct 20) in which he has raised the question of arrogance and pride in urban elites which is on the rise. We also witness this in every walk of life.

Pride is strictly forbidden in Islam. Elites consider themselves above everything.

During our school days we had read that the British used to place a notice on all high-class restaurants and clubs, saying: “Indians and dogs not allowed”.

I was shocked to find almost a similar note of two lines on the entrance of one of the clubs in the Defence area which warned the elites:

Maids and servants not allowed inside the restaurant. Pets not allowed inside the restaurant.

Does any difference exist between the notice placed by the British then and by the administration of the club now? They tend to equate maids and servants with pets. The British were masters; they had conquered India and behaved like masters. But what right does any Pakistani have to disallow fellow citizens the entry to a public place or to consider servants and maids as pets?

The beating of Irfan by the security guards of the daughter of the Punjab chief minister as pointed out by Irfan Husain is a routine matter in our country. The elites consider their servants and maids as their property and disgrace them using abusive language. In many cases, young children are employed to take care of the infants of the owners while their salary comprises only food and that too leftovers.

The less privileged class of this country has no rights. Mr Husain has pointed out that a peon or a security guard is supposed to carry the briefcase of the ‘Sahib’ and to open the door of his car.

This culture of arrogance and pride and practice of disgracing the less privileged class will never come to an end till we keep on placing notices on the entrances of clubs and restaurants that maids, servants and pets are not allowed inside.

AAMIR AQIL Lahore

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.