Want to visit Islamabad's Centaurus Mall? That'll be 100 rupees

E-Paper | June 17, 2026

Centaurus Mall is one of Islamabad's hottest attractions. Yet the mall's management caused a roar on social media when it announced on Thursday that the mall would enforce an entry fee of Rs. 100... to go shopping.

However, that isn't what rubbed people the wrong way. In a public notice, the administration of the mall also included an exhaustive list of people who would be exempt from paying the fee, which by the way includes every single person who can actually afford to pay it.

Government officials and 'celebrities' are exempt from paying the Rs. 100 fee. Exempt also are women, children, senior citizens, members of bar councils, 'Famous Players of Hockey, Cricket, Football and Golf' and 'Doctors and teaching faculty of all Universities.' So who exactly is the mall trying to keep out?

This attempt at class policing was not taken lightly.

The focus soon shifted on how it was attempt to single out people from Pindi.

Not everyone took the announcement so seriously though.

Who decides who's famous and who should get perks?

Some just thought too deeply about it, not finding anything wrong with the imposition!

Whereas others didn't care at all.

Robin Scherbatsky from How I Met Your Mother had a fair point. Everyone loves the mall so why the discrimination, Centaurus?

Our readers are at the heart of everything we do.
Do you have a thought to share or a way we can improve? We’d love to hear it. Reach out to us at feedback@dawn.com.

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Omar khayam

Jul 04, 2015 01:44pm

Centaraas ahold attempt build more malls if they think it is much in demand as a wise business strategy instead of imposing curbs on the demand.

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Moona

Jul 04, 2015 01:56pm

Maybe it's because many people don't go there to shop but to gawk at shops, and most men go there just to ogle women.

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Jul 04, 2015 02:10pm

Why not just enforce a visa to enter Islamabad...which by the way is not as clean or charming as made out to be by Islooites. Its still feels like a third world city when you visit from the developed world.

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Shaukat Ali

Jul 04, 2015 02:11pm

Probably it is an effort to check entry of unwanted characters.

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Shaukat Ali

Jul 04, 2015 02:12pm

It seems to be an effort to control misuse of the facilities and hooliganism.

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talha

Jul 04, 2015 02:19pm

Finally I'll be able to visit the mall without feeling like coming to kumb ka mela. Good decision

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nac Paris

Jul 04, 2015 02:21pm

All one can assume is that POOR have no place in Pakistan

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Anwar Usfzye

Jul 04, 2015 02:27pm

The addition of more and better malls will be beg them to put some incentive offer to visit rather than to impose restriction on masses

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Adeel Daftary

Jul 04, 2015 02:27pm

In January this year my wife wanted to see the mall she heard so much about I was like, it’s just A MALL you have plenty in Karachi and even bigger ones, she was like we are in Islamabad now so we should see and do some shopping, when we reached there I was surprised see the 50 to 70 people in line, I was like whats this line for? they said security check, ok I was like lets go through this stupid hazel, and I when I got inside I was really disappointed, it’s Just a MALL, a stupid common Mall, like every other mall I asked the security guy don’t you have malls in Islamabad , he was like no sir this is only one, So I pray that people built more malls in Islamabad so the poor people of Islamabad will have more places to go shopping. I still laugh on myself today that I went through all this stupidity to get in to a Shopping Mall.

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mani

Jul 04, 2015 02:34pm

What a silly idea that will only backfire. How about Centaurus annual membership card for entry? US retail Costco and many others do it and it has been successful because every income class has an equal opportunity to have a membership.

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imranrahbar

Jul 04, 2015 02:38pm

Worded poorly but intent is 100% well directed. Must support this if you want to visit again this place with family.

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M.Saeed

Jul 04, 2015 02:42pm

It is the negative effect of Metro-Bus Project. People exhausted by the Fasting and long deprived of the means to get cheap entertainment, have found a gold-mine of hill-top like enjoyment almost free. It is a common site that Metro-buses ply almost full both ways, at any point of observation. Centaurus Mall is a very convenient stop on Metro-Bus route, so the delinquents take a Rs.20/- ride to Centaurus, have a walk on the cool and exuberant Mall without spending a penny, have their heart's content of window-shopping and then return home spending another Rs.20/- on the Metro. So, a 100/- entry fee for such people is quite reasonable, to check their inflow. After all, it costs the management a huge sum of money, to cool the bodies of non-productive window-shoppers.

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antijihadi

Jul 04, 2015 02:42pm

I fully support the entry fee. It will ensure certain class and discourage beggars from entry.

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Rick_james

Jul 04, 2015 02:45pm

Ahh...segregation. A new gift from Nawaz Sharif.

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Sarah

Jul 04, 2015 02:48pm

It's for afghanis

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Jul 04, 2015 02:53pm

The management of the Centaurus Mall has the right to impose an "entry" charge for the visitors and shoppers, but it is not right to discriminate against certain classes of people. It reminds me of the fact that discrimination is rampant in Pakistan and is openly practiced by the private sector and the government without any checks and accountability. For example, the government jobs are advertised stating age limitations and the private sector does the same. Pakistan needs to step into the 21st century. The Parliament should formulate and implement laws which makes discrimination based on age, religion, creed, tribe, social status etc. unlawful

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Sajjad

Jul 04, 2015 02:56pm

I support this idea. 100 rupees are refundable when you buy something from the mall. This is infact a good way of controlling useless crowd.

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Awais

Jul 04, 2015 03:04pm

@Shaukat Ali.. poor hooligans rich hooligans are still allowed inside. Also I dont understand why cant they charge 100Rs from everyone. Are they afraid that their rich and famous coustomers might turn out too cheap and turn away instead of paying 100Rs.

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taher

Jul 04, 2015 03:11pm

What's this, all should pay or not or pay and get reimbursement if do shopping of over Rs. 500

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Tariq Amir

Jul 04, 2015 03:20pm

To be open and clear. This is meant to keep out uncouth, poor and badly dressed people out of this mall, who would buy nothing from the mall. Now we should discuss how bad or good this policy is.

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JUSTICE

Jul 04, 2015 03:21pm

Shame on you, every one has right to visit , middle class and poor are being discriminated. Looks like Pakistan is becoming aparthied state like South Africa use to be.

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Saqib UK

Jul 04, 2015 03:22pm

Are the people against this gone totally crazy. It clearly says women and children allowed. That would include even a poor woman and child. Its clearly there to discourage the free loading men who come to ogle at the women folk. Well done centaurus.

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Syed Ganga Din

Jul 04, 2015 03:28pm

It'll come down. It has very short life. Just look around.

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Usman Cheema

Jul 04, 2015 03:49pm

Folks this is just absurd . It's a mall , I have nothing against charging of 100rs however segregation is crime please u none heads think this over

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omer khan shaheen

Jul 04, 2015 03:51pm

This is sending a wrong message to the public!

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Arif hussain

Jul 04, 2015 03:56pm

Sad that engineers are not on the excempt list.....

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Hanif

Jul 04, 2015 04:06pm

In any other country legislation would not allow this, it is called direct discrimination. I shop at Harrods all the time and everyone is allowed there, even the window shoppers. In Pakistan poor are treated like dirt, the so called "high class" don't want to hurt their eyes by looking at the poor. If this was in the UK people would boycott the store until they reversed the policy, but in Pakistan the so called celebraties and the rich have no morals to create an equal society, they look down on the less well off. I see this when I visit Pakistan, and I for one will not be going any longer to the CRAP mall.

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Dipak Singh

Jul 04, 2015 04:13pm

After few year the mall will offer to people to visit & they will make adventure programmes like Quez, Fashion show etc for pulling crowd when footfall will reduce..

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zafar

Jul 04, 2015 04:14pm

So everyone entering Centaurus would be carrying a resume detailing who they are - otherwise paying the fine.

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Saad

Jul 04, 2015 04:16pm

this is a discriminatory attempt to keep the poor class away from centaurus. While it is necessary to eliminate pindi boys to preserve the atmosphere, it would have been more appropriate to impose entry fee on all persons above 18 to make it look less of a discrimination.

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Jabbar Shah

Jul 04, 2015 04:17pm

Why Engineers are not included in the list?

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Kamal Pasha.

Jul 04, 2015 04:22pm

Burj Khalifa of Dubai , tallest building of Europe Shard in London and mostly all theses types of buildings charge the visitors.

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wshaikh

Jul 04, 2015 04:32pm

It is a ridiculous to ask 100 Rupees to enter the mall. I strongly urged the government to intervene and stop such a draconian practice. It is a clear discrimination against poor people. I am not sure how a society can accept such a blatant violation of human rights. As a matter of fact, everyone should boycott the Mall until this entrance fee is removed.

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Dipak Singh

Jul 04, 2015 04:40pm

here is difference, In India Malls are organizing various types of programmes for pulling public or customers, may be 10% is original costumer 90% for window shopping. thos 90% public will help the small food stores like Tea store, Ice cream, Fast food stores etc..

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Azhar Javed

Jul 04, 2015 04:58pm

Centaurus Mall is privately owned shopping complex and not a public place where everyone should have right to stay without spending any money. Even on a number of public places Govt. has imposed entry ticket. Purpose of management is to stop groups of wanderers who spend hours in Mall, annoy families and girls and go back without spending anything. Fully packed Mall with such people and very few customers will spoil business of the high end brands in the Mall. The purpose is not to earn money, but to provide high standard retail environment to the genuine customers. You take ticket of Rs. 100, buy anything in Mall, give entry ticket and pay Rs.100 less than the bill to shopkeeper, there will be no cost of entry for you.

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Azhar Javed

Jul 04, 2015 05:01pm

The intention is to create some restriction only on poonders :)

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Syed Ahmed, Canada

Jul 04, 2015 05:23pm

Kabaddi players, Architects and Engineers has not been exempted.

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Talha

Jul 04, 2015 05:31pm

I am from Islamabad and I am totally fine with the entry fee but no one should be exempted because that gives a wrong impression of class segregation. Surely those who would actually be going for shopping would and should be able to pay an extra 100 rupees. Plus people doin't usually carry ur verification car

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Sohaila

Jul 04, 2015 05:36pm

This is sheer discrimination. Management should be sued for it.

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Hanif

Jul 04, 2015 05:37pm

@Kamal Pasha. There are not shopping malls but icons people want to see, this is a shopping mall like selfridges or Harrods no way can be given the same status

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Freed in 1947

Jul 04, 2015 06:13pm

We should discourage class system. We were freed I 1947 this is also a colonial practice. But at the same time if management wants to discourage window shoppers and vulgar people then they can come up with some other idea to avoid public outcry.

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Just Someone

Jul 04, 2015 06:31pm

I support the decision by the management, but the exemption list should have been smaller.

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ALTAF

Jul 04, 2015 06:58pm

They did the same thing in a posh Delhi Mall some years back, to keep out the poor - the backlash was too great and the mall was made free within a week. The same will happen here. BTW, who are the "Special People" mentioned in the list?.

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farid

Jul 04, 2015 07:00pm

Pakistan always amazes me. Thanks God ,it is in my past chapter.

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nadim

Jul 04, 2015 07:33pm

The only mall in the world to charge an entrance fee. Discrimination is clear by allowing certain classes to be exempt. Shame Shame

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Jul 04, 2015 07:33pm

Very good marketing technique.

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Jawwad

Jul 04, 2015 07:43pm

Surprised members of religious and extremist parties are not exempted either.

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Junaid

Jul 04, 2015 07:56pm

Someone will print fake Rs. 100 vouchers and use those for shopping.

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Jason

Jul 04, 2015 08:06pm

Its good that they exempted doctors.About time that this profession was given due respect in our country

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Nizamuddin Ahmad Aali

Jul 04, 2015 08:26pm

This is the beginning of " Dubai / Qatar " type discriminatory practice against poor people where laborers can not go to malls. Class system already exists at its worst in Pakistan and now this. Totally not acceptable.

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ANWAR

Jul 04, 2015 08:28pm

only young males are segregated. not all businesses but cinema owners have to be worried. why a person will spend extra money to watch the movie.

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Men of crises

Jul 04, 2015 08:33pm

hahahahaha... We in karachi lucky, we are free to move in any mall.

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Cyrus

Jul 04, 2015 08:40pm

Sadly, the rich want anything they can get free.

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Khan

Jul 04, 2015 09:00pm

An attempt to curb window shopping and bar poor people to enter . Simply discrimination on the basis of social status.

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Ahmad

Jul 04, 2015 09:17pm

Instead of this better way was to enforce a parking fee. If you purchase some stuff and show receipt the parking fee should be waived.

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Sher

Jul 04, 2015 09:18pm

Jagga Tax.

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shahbaz khan

Jul 04, 2015 09:28pm

ha-ha Imran Khan was aware of this that's why he was against metro bus. NO METRO NO STEP LIKE. THIS.this overcrowding makes even metro bus a fuss. last month I waited 40 min to get a bus but found it better to take a taxi than wait 40 min and then travel in a (murghion ka darba)

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Ramesh

Jul 04, 2015 09:31pm

Plz come to India, We have lots of Mall and all are free entry

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Omar M

Jul 04, 2015 09:52pm

@mani Costco is not a mall, no malls in the US charge a fee to enter. Costco charges a yearly membership to provide you better deals on bulk items (it isnt always quite the deal)

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Farooq

Jul 04, 2015 09:54pm

What will happen if an engineer goes with his wife and two under twelve kids. According to the mall's rule only the guy will be charged besides giving all money for rest of family's Shopping. Why did the wise guys exempted families?

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PakistanFirst

Jul 04, 2015 10:13pm

Being a man, I would have appreciated if the rule was simple: Only married men (above age of 25) accompanying their wife/wives allowed. This would provide ideal environment for ladies and families.

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ashraf

Jul 04, 2015 10:15pm

good move to keep cheap crown away.

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Slick

Jul 04, 2015 10:39pm

Good! Its a shopping mall NOT an amusement park!

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Shehz

Jul 04, 2015 10:46pm

@Azhar Javed, privately owned mall doesn't mean they have the right to supersede the law and commit discrimination. Just because a law isn't implemented doesn't mean one can break it and say it's a private matter - It's an unethical practice.

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khalid

Jul 04, 2015 10:56pm

What a wonderful example of equality in Pakistan?. How dare these people were allowed to even publish this announcement?. Have we got no shame left in our national character?. This is obviously to keep the poor people of Pakistan away from the "rich & famous". According to the World Bank analysis for 2014, 61% of Pakistanis earn US Dollars 2 per day, which basically means that around 100 Million Pakistanis would only be allowed to look at this building from outside because they can not afford to even enter the place. I would like to see someone start a boycott of this place but it must come from the "rich & famous" of Pakistan. The question is whether our rich and famous have any dignity or sense of justice left in them?. My answer is NO.

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Riya

Jul 04, 2015 11:23pm

@Adeel Daftary Could you count how many times have you used 'like' in your statement which wasn't even necessary? :-)

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Seemi

Jul 04, 2015 11:33pm

It could be a publicity gimmick. Seems like they got what they wanted.

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razi

Jul 04, 2015 11:38pm

So, even after so many decades of acquiring freedom, we still haven't changed and are still adamant to maintain the classes of haves and haves-not. Can we elevate ourselves a bit, please!!

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Mansoor

Jul 04, 2015 11:42pm

So Whats wrong?? Its adjustable in shopping..Why else does anyone visit a "Shopping Mall"?

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Abhishek

Jul 04, 2015 11:54pm

@M.Saeed: That can be done in a much simpler way, which is done in many places India as well as in the west (though not in the form of entry fee but parking). They refund the parking cost if you shop for a certain amount, by adjusting in the bill. So they can happily charge Rs100, and then refund it to those people who actually shop there or eat. But this kind of disgusting notification is extremely prejudiced and show their low mindset.

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Muhammad

Jul 05, 2015 12:07am

What about overseas Pakistanis?

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Jul 05, 2015 12:13am

So 'whites' are exempt from the fees.

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Moby

Jul 05, 2015 01:25am

@M.Saeed but then why exempt some?

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syed wasim haider

Jul 05, 2015 02:15am

Instead of charging ask the visitors to buy a coupon worth of Rs.500 which may be adjusted with the shopping if it is legal. This will be respectful barrier.

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Sarah

Jul 05, 2015 03:09am

I support this. Great idea to keep useless men away from mall

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mohammad bin qassim

Jul 05, 2015 03:39am

An apartheid Mall.

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shereen

Jul 05, 2015 03:42am

@Moona And I say whats so different here than from the rest of Pakistan? Honestly no where else on the globe have I heard a mall having an entry fee. If it is as the management claims, to ease their loyal customers' shopping then maybe there could be 3 days of fee. But it is very poor taste to try and stop public of any type from entering a mall. Some stores in Europe use high frequency sound waves to deter teenagers (older than 20 can't hear em). But even they dont ask for fee. Its not like its a night club.

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Rashid Ishaq

Jul 05, 2015 03:43am

Now pindi boys will switch to safa gold mall lolss

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Safawish

Jul 05, 2015 04:15am

How about this, putting a fee on men entering without families. And than reimbursing if they shop like for more 1000 or more. Families should be allowed to enter free. Just wait, when there will be more malls opened, they will have hard time to bring people in.

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Adeeb

Jul 05, 2015 05:13am

The VIP culture runs in our veins, its in our DNA

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IBN E ASHFAQUE

Jul 05, 2015 05:17am

The very ordinary citizens of Pakistan pay Rs.100. On the positive side it may eliminate beggars from the malls.

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IBN E ASHFAQUE

Jul 05, 2015 05:21am

@AW You forget government jobs are based on domicile and Sindh urban gets the minimum inspite of generating 50% revenue or more for the Government of Pakistan.

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hmmm

Jul 05, 2015 07:43am

@Moona yea that's exactly what it is, I would say 80% people who go there cant afford to buy stuff from the shops because they are expensive, I went there a year ago and trust me Saturdays and Sundays are over crowded with people, who don't buy anything and all they do is look at each other and have weird smiles on their faces, the young teenagers they come there to stare at women loll, well they don't talk to them but all they do is stare at them ahahahahaha, I can go in detail but then that's another topic

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Euro

Jul 05, 2015 10:05am

Really show the utter lack of respect the high class have for the middle and low class.

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OFFICIALKHAN

Jul 05, 2015 11:05am

RIP TO PEOPLE OF PAKISTAN!! I MYSELF BEG PARDON BUT THIS IS FACT , I DONT WANT RETURN TO PAKISTAN. I DONT WANT TO SEND MONEY TO PAKISTAN NOW! BECAUSE GOVERNAMENT LIKE THIS , are testing our patience. 5% tax imposed on , overseas pakistan remittances to adjust education expenditure for which people from outside will never be benefited. why would we pay ? when we are not using any services. is that not enough PIA , NICOP, PASSOPORT, TRANSFER FEE TAXes going to pakistan. im really really discouraged to return. And Yes!! if we are given all basic and facilities they promise . Then i have no objection to pay taxes. Now this VIP culture doesnt End. for sure people will stop going there. I visited thrice may be centauras it was just ok not competing world wide malls. But if they impose and taking money by force. I dont know where to go, Look! in West they take taxes, but Atleast they give you some quality life as well.

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Syed

Jul 05, 2015 11:10am

It like introducing caste system in Pakistani society, shameful act on behalf of Centaurus management. Shame on you.

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